I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 642 
To prevent the Federal Communications Commission from repromulgating 
the fairness doctrine. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 10, 2011 
Mr. PENCE (for himself, Mr. WALDEN, Mr. AKIN, Mrs. BACHMANN, Mr. 
BARTLETT, Mr. BILBRAY, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. BROUN of Georgia, Mr. 
CANSECO, Mr. COLE, Mr. CONAWAY, Mr. CRAWFORD, Mr. FLEMING, Mr. 
FLORES, Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. GARDNER, Mr. GOHMERT, Mr. 
ISSA, Mr. JORDAN, Mr. KING of Iowa, Mr. LUETKEMEYER, Mrs. 
LUMMIS, 
Mr. 
MCKINLEY, 
Mr. 
MURPHY
of 
Pennsylvania, 
Mr. 
NEUGEBAUER, Mr. ROE of Tennessee, Mr. STUTZMAN, Mr. WALBERG, 
Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mr. GINGREY of Georgia, Mr. HUNTER, Mr. 
MACK, Mr. TURNER, Mr. SOUTHERLAND, Mr. LAMBORN, Mrs. 
HARTZLER, Mr. WALSH of Illinois, Mr. NUGENT, Mr. POSEY, Mr. KING-
STON, Mr. JONES, Mr. AMASH, Mrs. MILLER of Michigan, Mr. BRADY 
of Texas, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. CAMPBELL, Mr. FLAKE, Mr. 
DREIER, Mr. GARRETT, Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. 
THOMPSON of Pennsylvania, Mr. TERRY, Mr. HASTINGS of Washington, 
Mr. TIBERI, Mr. HENSARLING, Mr. BACHUS, Mr. ROGERS of Alabama, 
Mr. ROGERS of Michigan, Mr. POE of Texas, Mr. MCCOTTER, Mr. ROG-
ERS of Kentucky, Mr. MCCLINTOCK, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. 
ROHRABACHER, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. BARTON of Texas, Mr. YOUNG of 
Alaska, Mrs. EMERSON, Mr. FARENTHOLD, Mr. YARMUTH, Mr. MAN-
ZULLO, Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS, Mr. LATTA, Mr. SMITH of Nebraska, 
Mr. WHITFIELD, Mr. SCALISE, Mr. SMITH of Texas, Mr. WITTMAN, Mr. 
LATOURETTE, Mr. KING of New York, Ms. JENKINS, Mr. PITTS, Mr. 
GRAVES of Missouri, Mr. HARPER, Mr. SCHOCK, Mr. WEST, Mr. 
LANKFORD, Mrs. ELLMERS, Ms. GRANGER, Ms. FOXX, Mr. YOUNG of 
Florida, Mr. BUCHANAN, Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mr. HELLER, Mr. 
CRENSHAW, Mr. ROSS of Florida, Mr. GRIFFIN of Arkansas, Mr. SIMP-
SON, Mr. BONNER, Mr. CRAVAACK, Mr. PLATTS, Mr. STEARNS, Mr. 
WOMACK, Mr. ROKITA, Mr. LANDRY, Mrs. BONO MACK, Mr. QUAYLE, 
Mr. KLINE, Mr. POMPEO, Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois, Mr. DUNCAN of 
South Carolina, Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California, and Mr. PETRI) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on En-
ergy and Commerce 
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A BILL 
To prevent the Federal Communications Commission from 
repromulgating the fairness doctrine. 
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 ‘‘Broadcaster Freedom 
Act of 2011’’. 
SEC. 2. FAIRNESS DOCTRINE PROHIBITED. 
Title III of the Communications Act of 1934 is 
amended by inserting after section 303 (47 U.S.C. 303) 
the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 303A. LIMITATION ON GENERAL POWERS: FAIRNESS 
DOCTRINE. 
‘‘Notwithstanding section 303 or any other provision 
of this Act or any other Act authorizing the Commission 
to prescribe rules, regulations, policies, doctrines, stand-
ards, or other requirements, the Commission shall not 
have the authority to prescribe any rule, regulation, policy, 
doctrine, standard, or other requirement that has the pur-
pose or effect of reinstating or repromulgating (in whole 
or in part) the requirement that broadcasters present op-
posing viewpoints on controversial issues of public impor-
tance, commonly referred to as the ‘Fairness Doctrine’, 
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