US HB889 | 2013-2014 | 113th Congress

US Congress House Bill 889 (Prior Session Legislation)

Status

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6)
Status: Introduced on February 28 2013 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2013-04-08 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, And The Internet.
Pending: House Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, And The Internet Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Summary

Global Free Internet Act of 2013 - 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 otherwise preference Internet-related technology standards and related measures; (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 coordinate the activity of federal agencies to implement such strategies and to consult and share timely information with civil society and Internet policy groups. Requires the Task Force to transmit to the President and Congress specified annual reports and action plans and to hold public hearings and solicit public comment through the Federal Register and the Task Force website. Instructs the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to initiate an investigation of any acts, policies, or practices of a foreign government or international body that are identified in such reports and plans as priority concerns in accordance with the Trade Act of 1974. Directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Attorney General (DOJ) to investigate whether each act, policy, or practice identified in such a report or plan (or any related action by a nongovernmental entity) violates U.S. antitrust laws. Requires the Task Force to report to Congress and the President on the sufficiency of existing multilateral and bilateral trade agreements in advancing specified objectives that support the goal of 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.

Title

Global Free Internet Act of 2013

History

Date	Chamber	Action
2013-04-08	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, And The Internet.
2013-03-07	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.
2013-03-01	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
2013-02-28	House	Referred to House Energy and Commerce
2013-02-28	House	Referred to House Judiciary
2013-02-28	House	Referred to House Foreign Affairs
2013-02-28	House	Referred to House Ways and Means
2013-02-28	House	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.