Fairness Doctrine Legislation

111th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 226

To prevent the Federal Communications Commission from repromulgating the fairness doctrine.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 7, 2009

Mr. PENCE (for himself, Mr. WALDEN, Mr. UPTON, Mr. BOEHNER, Mr. CANTOR, Mr. MCCARTHY of California, Mr. MCCOTTER, Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. DREIER, Mr. CARTER, Mr. PRICE of Georgia, Mr. HENSARLING, Mr. ADERHOLT, Mr. AKIN, Mr. ALEXANDER, Mr. AUSTRIA, Mr. BACHUS, Mr. BARTLETT, Mr. BARTON of Texas, Mr. BILBRAY, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. BONNER, Mrs. BONO MACK, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. BOUSTANY, Mr. BRADY of Texas, Mr. BROUN of Georgia, Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida, Mr. BUCHANAN, Mr. BURGESS, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. CAMP, Mr. CAMPBELL, Mr. CHAFFETZ, Mr. COBLE, Mr. COLE, Mr. CONAWAY, Mr. CRENSHAW, Mr. CULBERSON, Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky, Mr. DEAL of Georgia, Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida, Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida, Ms. FALLIN, Mr. FLAKE, Mr. FORBES, Ms. FOXX, Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. GALLEGLY, Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey, Mr. GERLACH, Mr. GINGREY of Georgia, Mr. GOHMERT, Mr. GOODLATTE, Ms. GRANGER, Mr. GRAVES, Mr. GUTHRIE, Mr. HALL of Texas, Mr. HASTINGS of Washington, Mr. HELLER, Mr. HERGER, Mr. HOEKSTRA, Mr. HUNTER, Mr. INGLIS, Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois, Mr. JONES, Mr. JORDAN of Ohio, Mr. KINGSTON, Mr. KIRK, Mr. KLINE of Minnesota, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. LATTA, Mr. LEWIS of California, Mr. LINDER, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mr. LUCAS, Ms. LUMMIS, Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California, Mr. MACK, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr. MARCHANT, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. MCCLINTOCK, Mr. MCHENRY, Mr. MCHUGH, Mr. MCKEON, Mr. MICA, Mr. MILLER of Florida, Mrs. MILLER of Michigan, Mr. MORAN of Kansas, Mr. TIM MURPHY of Pennsylvania, Mr. PAUL, Mr. PETRI, Mr. PITTS, Mr. PLATTS, Mr. POSEY, Mr. PUTNAM, Mr. REHBERG, Mr. REICHERT, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. SCALISE, Mrs. SCHMIDT, Mr. SCHOCK, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, Mr. SHADEGG, Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr. SHUSTER, Mr. SIMPSON, Mr. SMITH of Nebraska, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. SMITH of Texas, Mr. SOUDER, Mr. STEARNS, Mr. SULLIVAN, Mr. TERRY, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mr. TIAHRT, Mr. TIBERI, Mr. WAMP, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, and Mr. WOLF) 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.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Broadcaster Freedom Act of 2009’.

SEC. 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:

‘SEC. 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).’.

The Fairness Doctrine Legisllation News Conference

Republican leaders talked about the introduction of the Broadcaster Freedom Act on the floor of the U.S. House. The Broadcaster Freedom Act would prevent the Federal Communications Commission from implementing the Fairness Doctrine without an act of Congress.

Only a portion of the news conference was shown. Joined in progress.

Click here to see the Co sponsors of this Bill