House subcommittee approves Kinzinger bills to boost amateur radio usage, prevent FCC broadband rate regulation

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology approved three bills on Thursday, including two measures introduced by U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL).

The Amateur Radio Parity Act, H.R. 1301, would instruct the FCC to adopt rules that protect the rights of amateur radio operators. Kinzinger’s No Rate Regulation of Broadband Internet Access Act, H.R. 2666, meanwhile, would prevent FCC regulation of rates for broadband Internet.

“With these three commonsense proposals, our work continues to protect consumers and small businesses from burdensome regulation,” U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said. “I’m proud of this subcommittee’s bipartisan efforts, and I’m optimistic that we will reach bipartisan agreement on these bills.”

Also approved was the Small Business Broadband Deployment Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), the chairman of the subcommittee. The measure would make a temporary exemption from the FCC’s enhanced disclosure rules for small businesses permanent.

“I’m optimistic that we can put the finishing touches on these bills in the weeks ahead and once again produce important, bipartisan legislation that protects consumers, small businesses and access to the latest communications services,” Walden said.