The Eliminate From Regulators Opportunities to Nationalize the Internet in Every Respect Act (E-FRONTIER Act) was introduced by Reps. Tony Cárdenas (D-Calif.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Filemon Vela (D-Tex.), and Susan Brooks (R-Ind.).

Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced a Senate version of the bill last week (March 27).

Specifically the bill would "prohibit the President or a Federal agency from constructing, operating, or offering wholesale or retail services on broadband networks without authorization from Congress..."

The Trump Administration has reportedly kicked around the idea of nationalizing at least part of a 5G network as a cybersecurity strategy, but got plenty of pushback and that appears to have been put on the back burner.

“Private investment in broadband infrastructure, competition, and right-sized government involvement have made America leaders in innovation,” said Rep. Cárdenas. “I am proud today to introduce the bipartisan E-FRONTIER Act, which prevents Administration attempts to nationalize our broadband network..."

"For the sake of the free market and sound national security operations, the federal government should stay out of constructing the 5G broadband network," said Rep. Banks.

Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) said it is time for minorities to be able to frame their own stories rather than have their experiences filtered through a media that does not reflect them in front of or behind the camera.

"We don't have the voice of our own media at the national level to provide perspective," Clarke said at the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council 14th annual Access to Capital and Telecom Policy Conference in Washington Thursday (July 14), where she talked about the news reporting on the police shootings of unarmed black men.

She said that social media has provided one means of not having to view the stories "through the lens of others."  But she also said it should not be the case that people have to "tweet it out" in order to "plead our case."

That is why there needs to be diverse media owned and operated by people "who look just like us," Clarke said. "We can't go to those who have marginalized it for so long to present our story. It just won't work."

Clarke in May formed the Multicultural Media Caucus to promote greater representation of minorities in the media.

Also weighing in at the conference was Rep. Tony Cardenas (D-Calif.). He said communications was the people’s space, not corporate America’s, adding that those corporations should reflect the diversity of their audiences, but don’t. He said Congress’s job was to hold up a mirror to that fact.

Get complete coverage of the FCC's set-top proposal.

Below is a list of content creators who have either registered their opposition to the FCC set-top proposal or raised serious concerns about it. The source of the list: Reps. Adam Schiff and Tony Cardenas (D-Calif.) and Gene Green (D-Texas), in a letter to House colleagues advising them not to believe it if they are told the content community backs that proposal.

• 21st Century Fox

• A&E Television Networks

• American Association of Independent Music

• American Federation of Musicians

• C-SPAN

• CBS

• Copyright Alliance

• Creative Future

• Crossings TV

• Directors Guild of America

• Feel Good TV

• Freemind Ventures

• Hola! LA, Latin Heat Media

• Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA)

• Individual creators of color, including:  Val Benning, Roger Bobb, Bailey Brown, Holly Carter, Devon Franklin, Tamra Goins, Rob Hardy, Elijah Kelley, Rasheena Nash, Elrick Williams

• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)

• Manteca Media

• Mnet America

• Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA)

• National Music Publishers Association

• Perfect Day Media

• Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)

• Revolt Media and TV

• Screen Actors Guild/American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA)

• Scripps Network Interactive

• SoundExchange

• Stateless Media

• The Walt Disney Company & ESPN

• Time Warner Inc.

• TV One

• Viacom

• VMe TV

Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-Calif.) has sent his letter to the Federal Communications Commission and Department of Justice asking them to vet the Comcast/Time Warner Cable for access to independent programming issues, but suggesting there might not be any safeguards that would protect unaffiliated content.

That is according to an aide to the congressman.

A copy of the letter shows that Cárdenas was able to get three other Democratic California colleagues and one Arizona representative to sign the letter: Reps. Sam Farr, Zoe Lofgren, and Janice Hahn (all California) and Raul Grijalva of Arizona.

Cárdenas announced Wednesday (Feb. 18) that he opposes the merger and wants the FCC and DOJ to oppose it, but the letter only asks them to look closely at the potential of the combined company to discriminate against unaffiliated content.

Comcast Wednesday strongly defended its deal and record on independent programming.