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H.R. 2666 (114th): No Rate Regulation of Broadband Internet Access Act

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The text of the bill below is as of Apr 21, 2016 (Placed on Calendar in the Senate). The bill was not enacted into law.

Summary of this bill

The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote this week on a Republican bill that would block the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from regulating the rates that Internet Service Providers charge for broadband service.

Opponents, however, say the bill is written too broadly and could prevent the FCC from protecting consumers against things like price gouging, punitive data caps, privacy violations, and even violations of the agency’s new net neutrality rules.

The bill, known as the No Rate Regulation of Broadband Internet Act, comes out of the FCC’s decision last year to reclassify broadband Internet services under Title II of the Telecommunications Act so they would have the regulatory …

II

Calendar No. 431

114th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 2666

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 18, 2016

Received

April 20, 2016

Read the first time

April 21, 2016

Read the second time and placed on the calendar

AN ACT

To prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from regulating the rates charged for broadband Internet access service.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the No Rate Regulation of Broadband Internet Access Act.

2.

Regulation of broadband rates prohibited

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Federal Communications Commission may not regulate the rates charged for broadband Internet access service.

3.

Exceptions

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect the authority of the Commission to—

(1)

condition receipt of universal service support under section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254) by a provider of broadband Internet access service on the regulation of the rates charged by such provider for the supported service;

(2)

enforce subpart Y of part 64 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (relating to truth-in-billing requirements); or

(3)

enforce section 8.9 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (relating to paid prioritization).

4.

Additional rule of construction

For purposes of this Act, broadband Internet access service shall not be construed to include data roaming or interconnection.

5.

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Broadband Internet access service

The term broadband Internet access service has the meaning given such term in the rules adopted in the Report and Order on Remand, Declaratory Ruling, and Order that was adopted by the Commission on February 26, 2015 (FCC 15–24).

(2)

Commission

The term Commission means the Federal Communications Commission.

(3)

Rate

The term rate means the amount charged by a provider of broadband Internet access service for the delivery of broadband Internet traffic.

(4)

Regulation

The term regulation or regulate means, with respect to a rate, the use by the Commission of rulemaking or enforcement authority to establish, declare, or review the reasonableness of such rate.

Passed the House of Representatives April 15, 2016.

Karen L. Haas,

Clerk

April 21, 2016

Read the second time and placed on the calendar