Media Bills in Congress
The Free Press policy team regularly meets with legislators on Capitol Hill to advocate for policies that would promote diverse and independent media as well as keep the Internet open and non-discriminatory.
- Read Free Press' 2009 Media & Tech Priorities: A Public Interest Agenda.
- Read Down Payment on Our Digital Future: Stimulus Policies for the 21st-Century Economy, a comprehensive set of proposals that would deploy a forward-looking national broadband infrastructure.
Below you'll find a list of key pieces of legislation introduced during the 110th Congress. Click on a bill to view more details.
Broadband Data Improvement Act (S. 1492)
May 24.2007
The Broadband Data Improvement Act (S. 1492), introduced by Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), seeks to improve the quality and speed of broadband Internet by requiring the Federal Communications Commission to report on broadband deployment annually rather than periodically. The bill was signed into law by President Bush in October 2008.
Resolution of Disapproval: Federal Communications Commission Media Ownership Rules (S.J. Res. 28/H.J. Res. 79)
March 5.2008
Senate Joint Resolution 28, introduced by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), would rescind the Federal Communications Commission's December 2007 vote to remove the "newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership" ban prohibiting one company from owning a broadcast station and the major daily newspaper in the same media market.
Internet Freedom Preservation Act of 2008 (H.R. 5353)
February 12.2008
The Internet Freedom Preservation Act (H.R. 5353), introduced by Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), would establish a national broadband policy and would direct the FCC to conduct summits to assess competition, consumer protection and other issues related to broadband Internet access.
Internet Freedom Preservation Act (S. 215)
February 11.2008
The Internet Freedom Preservation Act (S. 215), introduced by Sens. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), would reinstate protections for Net Neutrality. It would ensure that all content, applications and services are equally accessible and would prohibit broadband network operators from blocking, degrading, or prioritizing service on their networks.
Broadband Census of America Act of 2007 (H.R. 3919)
October 22.2007
The Broadband Census of America Act (H.R. 3919), introduced by Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), would encourage broadband deployment by creating a comprehensive nationwide inventory of existing broadband service.
Community Broadband Act of 2007 (H.R. 3281/S. 1853)
August 1.2007
The Community Broadband Act (H.R. 3281), introduced in the House by Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.), would encourage the deployment of high-speed networks by preserving the ability of local governments to offer community broadband infrastructure and services.
Local Community Radio Act of 2007 (S. 1675/H.R. 2802)
June 21.2007
The Local Community Radio Act (S. 1675), introduced by Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.), would allow new Low Power FM (LPFM) radio stations in communities across the country.