I 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1409 To prevent the Federal Communications Commission from repromulgating the Fairness Doctrine. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 26, 2021 Mr. DUNCAN (for himself, Mrs. BOEBERT, Mr. BISHOP of North Carolina, Mr. PERRY, and Mr. NORMAN) introduced the following bill; which was re- ferred 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 Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Reassuring that the 4 United States Has Wide And Scrupulous Rhetorical In- 5 sight to Garnish Honest Thought Act of 2021’’ or the 6 ‘‘RUSH WAS RIGHT Act of 2021’’. 7 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:17 Mar 27, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1409.IH H1409 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 1409 IH SEC. 2. FAIRNESS DOCTRINE PROHIBITED. 1 Title III of the Communications Act of 1934 is 2 amended by inserting after section 303 (47 U.S.C. 303) 3 the following new section: 4 ‘‘SEC. 303A. LIMITATION ON GENERAL POWERS: FAIRNESS 5 DOCTRINE. 6 ‘‘Notwithstanding section 303 or any other provision 7 of this Act or any other Act authorizing the Commission 8 to prescribe rules, regulations, policies, doctrines, stand- 9 ards, or other requirements, the Commission shall not 10 have the authority to prescribe any rule, regulation, policy, 11 doctrine, standard, or other requirement that has the pur- 12 pose or effect of reinstating or repromulgating (in whole 13 or in part) the requirement that broadcasters present op- 14 posing viewpoints on controversial issues of public impor- 15 tance, commonly referred to as the ‘Fairness Doctrine’, 16 as repealed in General Fairness Doctrine Obligations of 17 Broadcast Licensees, 50 Fed. Reg. 35418 (1985).’’. 18 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:17 Mar 27, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1409.IH H1409 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS