I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1574 
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to clarify that the Federal 
Communications Commission may not take action against a broadcast 
licensee or any other person on the basis of viewpoint, to clarify that 
the President may not direct an agency to take such an action, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 16, 2017 
Mr. BEN RAY LUJA´N of New Mexico introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to clarify that 
the Federal Communications Commission may not take 
action against a broadcast licensee or any other person 
on the basis of viewpoint, to clarify that the President 
may not direct an agency to take such an action, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protecting Dissenting 
Viewpoints and Voices Act of 2017’’. 
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SEC. 2. VIEWPOINT PROTECTION. 
(a) ACTIONS BY FCC.—Title I of the Communica-
tions Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) is amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 13. VIEWPOINT PROTECTION. 
‘‘(a) PROHIBITION AGAINST RETALIATION ON BASIS 
OF VIEWPOINT.—The Commission may not revoke any li-
cense or other authorization of, or otherwise take action 
against, any person on the basis, in whole or in part, of 
viewpoints taken, or not taken, on issues of public impor-
tance in content that is broadcast or otherwise dissemi-
nated by such person or any person affiliated with such 
person. 
‘‘(b) PROHIBITION AGAINST CONDITIONS ON VIEW-
POINT IN TRANSACTION REVIEW.—The Commission may 
not place on any approval under subsections (a), (b), and 
(c) of section 214 or section 310(d) any condition with 
respect to viewpoints to be taken, or not taken, on issues 
of public importance in content broadcast or otherwise dis-
seminated by the person seeking such approval, any suc-
cessor of such person, or any person affiliated with such 
person or successor. 
‘‘(c) NO EFFECT ON CERTAIN OTHER AUTHORITY 
OF COMMISSION.—Nothing in this section shall be con-
strued to affect the authority of the Commission to take 
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action on the basis of, or to place a condition on an ap-
proval described in subsection (b) with respect to— 
‘‘(1) a violation of— 
‘‘(A) section 1304 of title 18, United 
States Code, or conduct that would constitute a 
violation of such section if content disseminated 
by means other than radio or television broad-
cast were disseminated by means of radio or 
television broadcast; 
‘‘(B) section 1343 of such title; or 
‘‘(C) section 1464 of such title, or conduct 
that would constitute a violation of such section 
if content disseminated by means other than 
radio communication were disseminated by 
means of radio communication; 
‘‘(2) a violation of, or conduct that the Commis-
sion has the authority to require or prohibit under, 
section 312(a)(7), 315, or 317 of this Act; 
‘‘(3) any public interest obligation under this 
Act of the person broadcasting or otherwise dissemi-
nating the content involved; or 
‘‘(4) the broadcast or other dissemination of 
content that constitutes incitement under the First 
Amendment to the Constitution.’’. 
(b) ACTIONS AT DIRECTION OF PRESIDENT.— 
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(1) RETALIATION ON BASIS OF VIEWPOINT.— 
The President may not direct an agency to take any 
action against any person on the basis, in whole or 
in part, of viewpoints taken, or not taken, on issues 
of public importance in content that is broadcast or 
otherwise disseminated by such person or any person 
affiliated with such person. 
(2) CONDITIONS ON APPROVALS OR OTHER DE-
CISIONS.—The President may not direct an agency 
to place on any approval or other decision within the 
jurisdiction of the agency any condition with respect 
to viewpoints to be taken, or not taken, on issues of 
public importance in content broadcast or otherwise 
disseminated by the person seeking such approval or 
other decision, any successor of such person, or any 
person affiliated with such person or successor. 
(3) NO EFFECT ON CERTAIN OTHER AUTHOR-
ITY
OF
PRESIDENT.—Nothing in this subsection 
shall be construed to affect the authority of the 
President— 
(A) to direct an agency to take action on 
the basis of, or to place a condition on an ap-
proval or other decision within the jurisdiction 
of the agency, with respect to— 
(i) a violation of— 
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(I) section 1304 of title 18, 
United States Code, or conduct that 
would constitute a violation of such 
section if content disseminated by 
means other than radio or television 
broadcast were disseminated by means 
of radio or television broadcast; 
(II) section 1343 of such title; or 
(III) section 1464 of such title, 
or conduct that would constitute a 
violation of such section if content dis-
seminated by means other than radio 
communication were disseminated by 
means of radio communication; or 
(ii) the broadcast or other dissemina-
tion of content that constitutes incitement 
under the First Amendment to the Con-
stitution; or 
(B) to execute the duties of the President 
under any provision of law. 
(4) AGENCY DEFINED.—In this subsection, the 
term ‘‘agency’’ has the meaning given such term in 
section 551 of title 5, United States Code. 
Æ 
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