House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden and
Foreign Affairs Committee chair Ed Royce (R-Calif.) have made it official,
announcing a joint global Internet freedom hearing for Feb. 5 in the Terrorism,
Nonproliferation and Trade Subcommittee and the Subcommittee on Africa Global
Health.
Waldenhad told reporters earlier this month that his first hearing of the new
Congress would be tied to the International Telecommunication Union's recent
telecom treaty conference in Dubai where the U.S. walked away rather than sign
a new treaty that included Internet-regulation related language.
"The Internet has revolutionized technology and commerce,
created jobs and promoted freedom," said Royce and Walden in a joint
statement. "Regrettably, 89 of the ITU member nations adopted a new treaty
that could lead to increased censorship on the Internet, and international
efforts to regulate the Internet will continue. We are holding a joint hearing
on Feb. 5 to examine the United States' position going forward."
