Issa Proposing Moratorium on Internet Regs and Bills

Uses social media site Reddit to stump for proposal

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 11/29/2012 11:26:44 AM

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), one of the biggest opponents of the SOPA/PIPA anti-piracy legislation that got shot down in this Congress, has introduced legislation to try to keep any variation from returning in the next one.

He took to social media site Reddit to discuss the bill, the Internet American Moratorium Act (IAMA). According to a discussion draft of the bill, it would "create a two-year moratorium on any new laws, rules or regulations governing the Internet."

Not only would it prevent anti-online piracy legislation, but if the courts threw out the FCC's Open Internet order, it would prevent it from adopting any new regs, since the bill applies not only to legislation, but to rules and regs as well.

"[N]o Department or Agency of the United States shall publish new rules or regulations, or finalize or otherwise enforce or give lawful effect to draft rules or regulations affecting the Internet until a period of at least 2 years from the enactment of this legislation has elapsed."

It could also put a damper on cybersecurity legislation, though he has a carve-out for cyber emergencies: "Upon notification to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, Intelligence Committees and Homeland Security Committees by the President of the United States, or his designee, of an existential threat to the Internet, the President may, for the purposes of addressing this threat, allow agencies to promulgate rules that have otherwise been suspended by this Act," the legislation reads.

Such a sweeping bill has little chance for passage, though it generated hundreds of Reddit responses, many unprintable.