I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1580 

To affirm the policy of the United States regarding Internet governance. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 16, 2013 

Mr. WALDEN (for himself, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. HALL, Mr. LANCE, Mr. GARDNER, 

Mr. OLSON, Mr. JOHNSON of Ohio, Mr. LONG, Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois, 

Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mrs. ELLMERS, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. MCKINLEY, Mr. 

DINGELL, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. CASSIDY, Mr. POMPEO, Mr. 

SHIMKUS, Mr. LATTA, Mr. GUTHRIE, Mr. ROYCE, Ms. MATSUI, Mr. SCALISE, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. ROGERS of Michigan, Mr. BURGESS, Mr. 

MURPHY of Pennsylvania, Mr. TERRY, Mr. POE of Texas, Mr. GINGREY

of Georgia, Mr. WELCH, Mr. BARTON, and Mr. PITTS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To affirm the policy of the United States regarding Internet 

governance. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 

4 The Congress finds the following: 

5 (1) Given the importance of the Internet to the 

6 global economy, it is essential that the Internet remstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS

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1 main stable, secure, and free from government con2 trol. 

3 (2) The world deserves the access to knowledge, 

4 services, commerce, and communication, the accom5 panying benefits to economic development, edu6 cation, and health care, and the informed discussion 

7 that is the bedrock of democratic self-government 

8 that the Internet provides. 

9 (3) The structure of Internet governance has 

10 profound implications for competition and trade, de11 mocratization, free expression, and access to infor12 mation. 

13 (4) Countries have obligations to protect human 

14 rights, whether exercised online or offline. 

15 (5) The ability to innovate, develop technical 

16 capacity, grasp economic opportunities, and promote 

17 freedom of expression online is best realized in co18 operation with all stakeholders. 

19 (6) Proposals have been, and will likely con20 tinue to be, put forward at international regulatory 

21 bodies that would fundamentally alter the govern22 ance and operation of the Internet. 

23 (7) The proposals would attempt to justify in24 creased government control over the Internet and 

25 could undermine the current multistakeholder model 

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1 that has enabled the Internet to flourish and under 

2 which the private sector, civil society, academia, and 

3 individual users play an important role in charting 

4 its direction. 

5 (8) The proposals would diminish the freedom 

6 of expression on the Internet in favor of government 

7 control over content. 

8 (9) The position of the United States Govern9 ment has been and is to advocate for the flow of in10 formation free from government control. 

11 (10) This Administration and past Administra12 tions have made a strong commitment to the multi13 stakeholder model of Internet governance and the 

14 promotion of the global benefits of the Internet. 

15 SEC. 2. POLICY REGARDING INTERNET GOVERNANCE. 

16 It is the policy of the United States to preserve and 

17 advance the successful multistakeholder model that gov18 erns the Internet. 

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