Today in things that will never happen, Republican Representative Darrell Issa has proposed a new bill called the Internet American Moratorium Act (IAMA) that would put a stop to any internet-related lawmaking for the next two years.
By the way, the bill was proposed on Reddit. And by the way, this is never going to happen. Open internet? That’s a good thing. But a law that keeps congress from governing? That’s not a good thing—the internet is a big place, and the language of this law is very broad. Here’s an excerpt from the bill:
It is resolved in the House of Representatives and Senate that they shall not pass any new legislation for a period of 2 years from the date of enactment of this Act that would require individuals or corporations engaged in activities on the Internet to meet additional requirements or activities. After 90 days of passage of this Act no 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.
As it stands now, IAMA is just a discussion draft, meaning it will be a very long time before it’s even close to a vote. And while we’re for an open internet, a blanket ban on legislation is a bad idea. Let’s think about this one a little more, Rep. Issa. [KeepTheWebOpen via Reddit via The Verge]
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