VoIP Regulatory Freedom Act of 2004

Bill: 108-hr-4129
Sponsor: Rep. Pickering, Charles W. "Chip" [R-MS-3]
Introduced: 2004-04-02 in the House
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Armed Forces and National Security
Broadband
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Commerce
Compensation (Law)
Computer security measures
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Consumer education
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal investigation
Delegation of powers
Disabled
Emergency Management
Emergency communication systems
Federal Communications Commission
Federal preemption
Fees
Government Operations and Politics
Government and business
Identification devices
Independent regulatory commissions
Internet
Law
Legislation
Local laws
Local taxation
Restrictive trade practices
Right of privacy
Standards
State laws
State taxation
Tax exemption
Taxation
Technological innovations
Telecommunication industry
Telecommunication rates
Telephone
Voice mail systems
Wiretapping

Summary:
action_date: 2004-04-02
text: 
VoIP Regulatory Freedom Act of 2004 - Reserves solely to the Federal Government the responsibility and authority to regulate the offering or provision of a voice-over-Internet-protocol (VoIP) application (an application that uses the Internet or any successor protocol to offer two-way or multidirectional voice communications). Prohibits State regulation, or delegation to States, of such authority.
 
Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to: (1) establish rules and standards for appropriate arrangements to compensate providers of facilities and equipment used to transmit communications employing a connected VoIP application; and (2) maximize participation in the support of universal service among the greatest number of providers of connected VoIP applications. Requires such providers to assist the Federal Government in enforcement actions.
 
Requires the FCC to appoint an appropriate representative industry organization to develop guidelines, protocols, or performance requirements pertaining to the offering or provision of connected VoIP applications for: (1) providing comparable capabilities to 911 services; (2) improving use by the disabled community; (3) improving reliability of VoIP applications; and (4) ensuring appropriate security for the application and voice communications.
 
Prohibits a State or political subdivision from imposing a tax or other charge on the offering or provision of a VoIP application.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-04-08
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.
action_date: 2004-04-02
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2004-04-02
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2004-04-02
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2004-04-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E526-527)
action_date: 2004-04-02
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-04-02
text: Introduced in House