Rep. Berman: We will examine Web freedom

Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.) said his committee is taking a look at Internet freedom, including Google's threat to leave China .

Berman, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said during a field hearing in California on Friday that the committee will continue to be "engaged in the issue."

"It is not the topic of our hearing today, but I did want to say that our committee is considering the matter of Internet freedom," he said. "We have sought information from U.S. companies, many of which are based in this area in California, on the Global Network Initiative, which advocates that companies adopt corporate responsibility guidelines and collaborate with human rights NGOs [non-governmental organizations] to push back on Internet-repressive regimes' demands. We sought this information at the end of last year and are currently evaluating their responses. We will continue to be engaged in this issue."

The committee was holding a hearing on U.S. export control regulating dual-use technologies, which can be used for either civilian or military purposes.