Washington, D.C. — FDD Action yesterday joined with the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) to lead a broad, bipartisan coalition of national security, human rights, and technology experts in sending a letter to the House Foreign Affairs Committee urging it to expeditiously mark up three bills that would expand internet freedom and strengthen human rights protections for the Iranian people: the FREEDOM Act (H.R. 6469), the Iran Human Rights, Internet Freedom, and Accountability Act (H.R. 7622), and the Internet Reach and Access Now (IRAN) Act (H.R. 7380).
The regime in Iran has made internet shutdowns one of its most devastating tools of repression, deploying them repeatedly during the current period of conflict and unrest to shield mass atrocities from international scrutiny. In January 2026, the regime’s shutdown enabled an unprecedented and lethal crackdown on civilian protesters. Credible reports suggest the blackouts facilitated the regime’s mass killing of tens of thousands of Iranians over a two-day period alone. On February 28, following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, the regime imposed a renewed near-total internet blackout. NetBlocks reported that internet connectivity in Iran dropped to 4% of normal levels on February 28, and fell to approximately 1% by early March. As of March 22, the shutdown was still ongoing, with Iranians unable to contact loved ones, access lifesaving information, or communicate with the outside world.
“Iran’s internet shutdowns are a weapon of mass repression by the regime, deployed to shield mass atrocities from the world’s view,” said Alexandria Paolozzi Moore, Senior Director of Government Relations at FDD Action. “Passage of the FREEDOM Act; the Iran Human Rights, Internet Freedom, and Accountability Act; and the IRAN Act together would represent the most comprehensive congressional response yet to this crisis. We urge the House Foreign Affairs Committee to mark up these bills without delay and send a clear message: the United States stands with the Iranian people and will not allow a brutal regime to operate behind a digital curtain of impunity. Taking action on these crucial policy matters amplifies the current goals set forth through Operation Epic Fury.”
“The Iranian regime has repeatedly used internet shutdowns to isolate its people, conceal violence, and silence dissent. Expanding open internet access is critical for political organizing, the free exchange of ideas, and connecting Iranians to the outside world,” said Morad Ghorban, Director of Government Affairs & Policy at PAAIA. “These bipartisan measures represent the most comprehensive effort to date to support secure communications and empower Iranian civil society. A free and open internet is essential to any credible pathway toward a free and democratic Iran.”
The full text of the coalition letter and list of signatories is available here.
The following individuals signed the coalition letter to the House Foreign Affairs Committee: