US Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) has introduced the American Copyright Protection Act of 2026, requiring ISPs, DNS providers, and VPNs to block foreign piracy websites. The bill enables copyright holders to obtain court orders after demonstrating by a preponderance of evidence that a site is a foreign piracy platform. Network operators with at least 100,000 US monthly users would be subject to 14-day blocking requirements, though judges may accelerate deadlines for time-sensitive content like live sports. Root nameserver operators and top-level domain registries are exempt, as are on-premises Wi-Fi networks at airports, libraries, and similar venues.

At a June 30 hearing, Issa questioned whether the current notice-and-takedown system under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act acts quickly enough, asking, "Can we do it at the speed of sound? Can we do it at the speed of light?" He argued that online piracy funds terrorist groups and criminal networks.

Opponents including Public Knowledge and Re: Create criticize the bill as overly broad censorship. Meredith Rose of Public Knowledge called it "a sweeping infrastructure for censorship," while Re: Create's Brandon Butler warned it threatens user privacy and damages the open web. The bill has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.