Global Free Internet Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-1307
Sponsor: Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-19]
Introduced: 2015-03-04 in the House
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Competition and antitrust
Congressional oversight
Executive agency funding and structure
Free trade and trade barriers
Government studies and investigations
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Trade agreements and negotiations
Trade restrictions

Summary:
action_date: 2015-03-04
text: 

Global Free Internet Act of 2015

 
Establishes a Task Force on the Global Internet to be hosted by the Department of Commerce.
 
Requires the Task Force to develop and implement strategies in response to foreign and domestic government policies that: (1) unjustifiably or unreasonably burden or restrict international trade in Internet-related goods, services, and content; (2) mandate or prefer certain Internet-related technology standards; (3) impede the free flow of information on the Internet; or (4) otherwise threaten the open, global nature of the Internet, the interests of Internet users, and the United States in Internet-related international trade and discourse.
 
Directs the Task Force to: (1) coordinate federal agencies' implementation of such strategies, and (2) consult and share timely information with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers and civil society policy groups.
 
Instructs the U.S. Trade Representative to initiate investigations and consider imposing sanctions in accordance with the Trade Act of 1974 for any practices of a foreign government or international body identified as priority concerns.
 
Directs the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice to investigate whether U.S. antitrust laws are violated by identified practices or the related actions of nongovernmental entities. 
 
Requires the Task Force to report to Congress and the President regarding the sufficiency of existing multilateral and bilateral trade agreements in advancing a single open, global Internet. 
 
Instructs the Task Force to organize training of foreign and domestic government officials and national standard-setting and conformity assessment bodies, including coordination with nongovernmental international and domestic standards bodies.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-03-31
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial And Antitrust Law.
action_date: 2015-03-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.
action_date: 2015-03-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade.
action_date: 2015-03-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, 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: 2015-03-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, 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: 2015-03-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, 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: 2015-03-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, 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: 2015-03-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, 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: 2015-03-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-03-04
text: Introduced in House