I 112th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 642 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 10, 2011 Mr. Pence (for himself, Mr. Walden, Mr. Akin, Mrs. Bachmann, Mr. Bartlett, Mr. Bilbray, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Broun of Georgia, Mr. Canseco, Mr. Cole, Mr. Conaway, Mr. Crawford, Mr. Fleming, Mr. Flores, Mr. Franks of Arizona, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Gohmert, Mr. Issa, Mr. Jordan, Mr. King of Iowa, Mr. Luetkemeyer, Mrs. Lummis, Mr. McKinley, Mr. Murphy of Pennsylvania, Mr. Neugebauer, Mr. Roe of Tennessee, Mr. Stutzman, Mr. Walberg, Mr. Westmoreland, Mr. Gingrey of Georgia, Mr. Hunter, Mr. Mack, Mr. Turner, Mr. Southerland, Mr. Lamborn, Mrs. Hartzler, Mr. Walsh of Illinois, Mr. Nugent, Mr. Posey, Mr. Kingston, Mr. Jones, Mr. Amash, Mrs. Miller of Michigan, Mr. Brady of Texas, Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Flake, Mr. Dreier, Mr. Garrett, Mr. Duncan of Tennessee, Mr. Royce, Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania, Mr. Terry, Mr. Hastings of Washington, Mr. Tiberi, Mr. Hensarling, Mr. Bachus, Mr. Rogers of Alabama, Mr. Rogers of Michigan, Mr. Poe of Texas, Mr. McCotter, Mr. Rogers of Kentucky, Mr. McClintock, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. Rohrabacher, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Barton of Texas, Mr. Young of Alaska, Mrs. Emerson, Mr. Farenthold, Mr. Yarmuth, Mr. Manzullo, Mrs. McMorris Rodgers, Mr. Latta, Mr. Smith of Nebraska, Mr. Whitfield, Mr. Scalise, Mr. Smith of Texas, Mr. Wittman, Mr. LaTourette, Mr. King of New York, Ms. Jenkins, Mr. Pitts, Mr. Graves of Missouri, Mr. Harper, Mr. Schock, Mr. West, Mr. Lankford, Mrs. Ellmers, Ms. Granger, Ms. Foxx, Mr. Young of Florida, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Bishop of Utah, Mr. Heller, Mr. Crenshaw, Mr. Ross of Florida, Mr. Griffin of Arkansas, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Bonner, Mr. Cravaack, Mr. Platts, Mr. Stearns, Mr. Womack, Mr. Rokita, Mr. Landry, Mrs. Bono Mack, Mr. Quayle, Mr. Kline, Mr. Pompeo, Mr. Kinzinger of Illinois, Mr. Duncan of South Carolina, Mr. Gary G. Miller of California, and Mr. Petri) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To prevent the Federal Communications Commission from repromulgating the fairness doctrine.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Broadcaster Freedom Act of 2011.

2.

Fairness doctrine prohibited

Title III of the Communications Act of 1934 is amended by inserting after section 303 (47 U.S.C. 303) the following new section:

303A.

Limitation on general powers: fairness doctrine

Notwithstanding section 303 or any other provision of this Act or any other Act authorizing the Commission to prescribe rules, regulations, policies, doctrines, standards, or other requirements, the Commission shall not have the authority to prescribe any rule, regulation, policy, doctrine, standard, or other requirement that has the purpose or effect of reinstating or repromulgating (in whole or in part) the requirement that broadcasters present opposing viewpoints on controversial issues of public importance, commonly referred to as the Fairness Doctrine, as repealed in General Fairness Doctrine Obligations of Broadcast Licensees, 50 Fed. Reg. 35418 (1985).

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