US Congress House Bill 3605 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill
Status: Introduced on December 8 2011 - 25% progression, died in chamber
Action: 2012-10-19 - Committee on Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Joint hearings held.
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Global Online Freedom Act of 2011 - Makes it U.S. policy to: (1) promote the freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media; (2) use all appropriate instruments of U.S. influence to support the free flow of information without interference or discrimination; and (3) deter U.S. businesses from cooperating with Internet-restricting countries in effecting online censorship. Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the President should seek international agreements to protect Internet freedom; and (2) some U.S. businesses, in assisting foreign governments to restrict online access to U.S.-supported websites and government reports and to identify individual Internet users, are working contrary to U.S. foreign policy interests. Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to require assessments of electronic information freedom in each foreign country. Directs the Secretary of State to annually designate Internet-restricting countries. Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require each Internet communications services company that operates in an Internet-restricting country to include in its annual report information relating to: (1) human rights due diligence, (2) policies pertaining to the collection of personally identifiable information, and (3) restrictions on Internet search engines or content hosting services. Amends the Export Administration Act of 1979, as continued in effect under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, to direct the Secretary of Commerce to: (1) establish a list of goods and technology that would assist a foreign government in acquiring the capability to carry out censorship, surveillance, or any other related activity through means of telecommunications, including the Internet; and (2) prohibit the export of listed goods or technology to a government end user in any Internet-restricting country.

Global Online Freedom Act of 2011

Rep. Christopher Smith [R-NJ]	Rep. Howard Berman [D-CA]	Rep. Thaddeus McCotter [R-MI]	Rep. Dana Rohrabacher [R-CA]
Rep. Brad Sherman [D-CA]	Rep. Fortney Stark [D-CA]	Rep. Frank Wolf [R-VA]

Date	Chamber	Action
2012-10-19	House	Committee on Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Joint hearings held.
2012-03-27	House	Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
2012-03-27	House	Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
2012-01-12	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises.
2011-12-14	House	Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E2249-2250)
2011-12-13	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.
2011-12-08	House	Referred to House Financial Services
2011-12-08	House	Referred to House Ways and Means
2011-12-08	House	Referred to House Foreign Affairs
2011-12-08	House	Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Financial Services, 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.

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/3605/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hr3605/BILLS-112hr3605ih.pdf