# 114-hr-5418: Protecting Internet Freedom Act

114-hr-5418, Protecting Internet Freedom Act, is a 114th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Duffy, Sean P. [R-WI-7] (R-WI); status Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-5418
- As of: 2025-11-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 114-hr-5418
- Congress: 114
- Title: Protecting Internet Freedom Act
- Status: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Introduced: 2016-06-09
- Sponsor: Rep. Duffy, Sean P. [R-WI-7] (R-WI)
- Cosponsors: 65
- Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## Summary

Protecting Internet Freedom Act This bill prohibits the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information from allowing the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's responsibility for Internet domain name system functions, including the authoritative root zone file and the performance of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority functions, to cease unless a federal statute enacted after enactment of this bill expressly grants the Assistant Secretary such authority. The Assistant Secretary must certify to Congress that the U.S. government has: (1) secured sole ownership of the .gov and .mil top-level domains, and (2) entered into a contract with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers that provides the U.S. government with exclusive control and use of those domains in perpetuity.

## Cosponsors (65)

- Rep. Bridenstine, Jim [R-OK-1] (R-OK), 2016-07-01T00:00:00.000Z
- JOE BARTON (R-TX), 2016-07-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Grothman, Glenn [R-WI-6] (R-WI), 2016-07-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Duncan, Jeff [R-SC-3] (R-SC), 2016-07-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Brat, Dave [R-VA-7] (R-VA), 2016-09-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hill, J. French [R-AR-2] (R-AR), 2016-09-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Flores, Bill [R-TX-17] (R-TX), 2016-09-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN] (R-TN), 2016-09-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Brady, Kevin [R-TX-8] (R-TX), 2016-09-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Posey, Bill [R-FL-8] (R-FL), 2016-09-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. DesJarlais, Scott [R-TN-4] (R-TN), 2016-09-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ratcliffe, John [R-TX-4] (R-TX), 2016-09-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Huelskamp, Tim [R-KS-1] (R-KS), 2016-09-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Williams, Roger [R-TX-25] (R-TX), 2016-09-13T00:00:00.000Z
- MATT SALMON (R-AZ), 2016-06-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Sensenbrenner, F. James, Jr. [R-WI-5] (R-WI), 2016-06-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Gohmert, Louie [R-TX-1] (R-TX), 2016-06-09T00:00:00.000Z
- WALTER JONES (R-NC), 2016-06-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fleming, John [R-LA-4] (R-LA), 2016-06-09T00:00:00.000Z
- JOHN CULBERSON (R-TX), 2016-06-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Babin, Brian [R-TX-36] (R-TX), 2016-06-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Joyce, David P. [R-OH-14] (R-OH), 2016-06-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Burgess, Michael C. [R-TX-26] (R-TX), 2016-06-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Young, David [R-IA-3] (R-IA), 2016-06-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Sanford, Mark [R-SC-1] (R-SC), 2016-09-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14] (R-TX), 2016-09-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Westerman, Bruce [R-AR-4] (R-AR), 2016-09-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Poe, Ted [R-TX-2] (R-TX), 2016-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Gosar, Paul A. [R-AZ-9] (R-AZ), 2016-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McClintock, Tom [R-CA-5] (R-CA), 2016-09-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McKinley, David B. [R-WV-1] (R-WV), 2016-09-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Marchant, Kenny [R-TX-24] (R-TX), 2016-09-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hudson, Richard [R-NC-9] (R-NC), 2016-09-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Yoho, Ted S. [R-FL-3] (R-FL), 2016-09-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Yoder, Kevin [R-KS-3] (R-KS), 2016-09-21T00:00:00.000Z
- SAM JOHNSON (R-TX), 2016-09-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wittman, Robert J. [R-VA-1] (R-VA), 2016-09-26T00:00:00.000Z
- LAMAR SMITH (R-TX), 2016-09-26T00:00:00.000Z
- FRANK LOBIONDO (R-NJ), 2016-09-26T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Labrador, Raul R. [R-ID-1] (R-ID), 2016-09-26T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hensarling, Jeb [R-TX-5] (R-TX), 2016-09-26T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Barletta, Lou [R-PA-11] (R-PA), 2016-09-26T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Price, Tom [R-GA-6] (R-GA), 2016-09-26T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Loudermilk, Barry [R-GA-11] (R-GA), 2016-09-26T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Scott, Austin [R-GA-8] (R-GA), 2016-09-26T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Palazzo, Steven M. [R-MS-4] (R-MS), 2016-09-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Garrett, Scott [R-NJ-5] (R-NJ), 2016-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Murphy, Tim [R-PA-18] (R-PA), 2016-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Zeldin, Lee M. [R-NY-1] (R-NY), 2016-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fleischmann, Charles J. "Chuck" [R-TN-3] (R-TN), 2016-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- JOHN MICA (R-FL), 2016-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Nugent, Richard B. [R-FL-11] (R-FL), 2016-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Aderholt, Robert B. [R-AL-4] (R-AL), 2016-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Rogers, Mike D. [R-AL-3] (R-AL), 2016-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Crawford, Eric A. "Rick" [R-AR-1] (R-AR), 2016-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Smith, Jason [R-MO-8] (R-MO), 2016-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. LaHood, Darin [R-IL-16] (R-IL), 2016-11-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wenstrup, Brad R. [R-OH-2] (R-OH), 2016-11-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Collins, Doug [R-GA-9] (R-GA), 2016-11-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Graves, Sam [R-MO-6] (R-MO), 2016-11-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hartzler, Vicky [R-MO-4] (R-MO), 2016-11-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large] (R-AK), 2016-11-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McCaul, Michael T. [R-TX-10] (R-TX), 2016-11-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ross, Dennis A. [R-FL-15] (R-FL), 2016-11-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lamborn, Doug [R-CO-5] (R-CO), 2016-11-16T00:00:00.000Z

## Related bills

- 114-hr-160: Protect Medical Innovation Act of 2015
- 114-hr-24: Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015
- 114-hr-1190: Protecting Seniors' Access to Medicare Act of 2015
- 114-hr-36: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act
- 114-hr-4773: Protecting Workplace Advancement and Opportunity Act
- 114-hr-3134: Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015

## Sources
- [114-hr-5418 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/5418)

## Related
- [114-hr-160: Protect Medical Innovation Act of 2015](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-160)
- [114-hr-24: Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-24)
- [114-hr-1190: Protecting Seniors' Access to Medicare Act of 2015](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-1190)
- [114-hr-36: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-36)
- [114-hr-4773: Protecting Workplace Advancement and Opportunity Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-4773)
- [114-hr-3134: Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-3134)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-5418 (as of 2025-11-18).