IB 

House Calendar No. 21 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1580 

[Report No. 113–50] 

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 

MAY 3, 2013 

Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed 


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•HR 1580 RH

A BILL 

To affirm the policy of the United States regarding Internet 

governance. 


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•HR 1580 RH

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 re7 main stable, secure, and free from government con8 trol. 

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

10 services, commerce, and communication, the accom11 panying benefits to economic development, edu12 cation, and health care, and the informed discussion 

13 that is the bedrock of democratic self-government 

14 that the Internet provides. 

15 (3) The structure of Internet governance has 

16 profound implications for competition and trade, de17 mocratization, free expression, and access to infor18 mation. 

19 (4) Countries have obligations to protect human 

20 rights, whether exercised online or offline. 

21 (5) The ability to innovate, develop technical 

22 capacity, grasp economic opportunities, and promote 

23 freedom of expression online is best realized in co24 operation with all stakeholders. 


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1 (6) Proposals have been, and will likely con2 tinue to be, put forward at international regulatory 

3 bodies that would fundamentally alter the govern4 ance and operation of the Internet. 

5 (7) The proposals would attempt to justify in6 creased government control over the Internet and 

7 could undermine the current multistakeholder model 

8 that has enabled the Internet to flourish and under 

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

10 individual users play an important role in charting 

11 its direction. 

12 (8) The proposals would diminish the freedom 

13 of expression on the Internet in favor of government 

14 control over content. 

15 (9) The position of the United States Govern16 ment has been and is to advocate for the flow of in17 formation free from government control. 

18 (10) This Administration and past Administra19 tions have made a strong commitment to the multi20 stakeholder model of Internet governance and the 

21 promotion of the global benefits of the Internet. 

22 SEC. 2. POLICY REGARDING INTERNET GOVERNANCE. 

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

24 advance the successful multistakeholder model that gov25 erns the Internet. 


TKELLEY on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS

TKELLEY on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
House Calendar No. 21 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1580 

[Report No. 113–50] 

A BILL 

To affirm the policy of the United States regarding 

Internet governance. 

MAY 3, 2013 

Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be 

printed 


TKELLEY on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS