A bill that seeks to prevent the use of cellphones on domestic passenger airliners was approved Thursday by a House panel.

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved the bill by voice vote, but not before considering its merits for about an hour.

Much of the debate revolved around whether it was appropriate for the Congress to legislate courtesy.

“My wife had to listen to a female passenger talk about her sex life the night before,” Chairman James L. Oberstar, D-Minn., said. “They get on a cell phone, and it’s like a megaphone. Who wants to listen to that? Certainly not when you’re trapped on an airplane.”

The bill aims to keep U.S. airlines from following the lead of their European competitors and start allowing cell phones to be used in flight.

But John L. Mica, R-Fla., the ranking Republican, called it a “step backward.”

“There are rude people who do rude things,” he said. “There’s no reason for the U.S. to eliminate modern communications or make them inaccessible.”

Mica pulled out an iPod. He said he didn’t own one, but was told that if he “pressed this button it would go on.” A rock song, “Dimension” by Wolfmother, filled the committee room as Mica strained to speak over it.

“If we’re going to start banning cell phones I think there are a number of other things...Ipods and dirty diapers would be on my wishlist,” he said.

He had an amendment at the ready to do just that, but didn’t offer it.

The committee did approve by voice vote a substitute amendment that would provide an exemption for law enforcement officers and provide flexibility with foreign carriers as a result of open sky agreements.