H.R. 6530: Global Free Internet Act of 2012

112th Congress · introduced 2012-09-21 · Foreign Trade and International Finance · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition and the Internet.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2012-09-21 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-16] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition and the Internet. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Global Free Internet Act of 2012

Plain summary

Global Free Internet Act of 2012 - Establishes a Task Force on the Global Internet to be hosted by the Department of Commerce. Requires the Task Force to develop and implement strategies in response to foreign and domestic government policies that: (1) unjustifiably or unreasonably burden or restrict international trade in Internet-related goods, services, and content; (2) mandate or otherwise preference Internet-related technology standards and related measures; (3) impede the free flow of information on the Internet; or (4) otherwise threaten the open, global nature of the Internet, the interests of Internet users, and the United States in Internet-related international trade and discourse. Directs the Task Force to coordinate the activity of federal agencies to implement such strategies and to consult and share timely information with civil liberty and Internet policy groups. Requires the Task Force to transmit to the President and Congress specified annual reports and action plans and to hold public hearings and solicit public comment through the Federal Register and the Task Force website. Instructs the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to initiate an investigation of any acts, policies, or practices of a foreign government or international body that are identified in such reports and plans as priority concerns in accordance with the Trade Act of 1974. Directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Attorney General (DOJ) to investigate whether each act, policy, or practice identified in such a report or plan (or any related action by a nongovernmental entity) violates U.S. antitrust laws. Requires the Task Force to report to Congress and the President on the sufficiency of existing multilateral and bilateral trade agreements in advancing specified objectives that support the goal of a single open, global Internet. Instructs the Task Force to organize training of foreign and domestic government officials and national standard-setting and conformity assessment bodies, including coordination with nongovernmental international and domestic standards bodies.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

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PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Global Free Internet Act of 2012

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-16] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-16] reported raising $2.0 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Federal Register: The official daily publication of the U.S. government for agency rules, proposed rules, public notices and presidential documents.
Public comment: A chance for anyone to tell a government agency what they think about a proposed rule or plan before it is final. Agencies must consider the comments they receive.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112hr6530.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/hr>

Record fed-us-cong112-hr6530 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112