[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 57 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 57

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United 
Nations and other international governmental organizations shall not be 
             allowed to exercise control over the Internet.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 26, 2011

 Mrs. Bono Mack submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
                  to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United 
Nations and other international governmental organizations shall not be 
             allowed to exercise control over the Internet.

Whereas market-based policies and private sector leadership have allowed the 
        Internet the flexibility to evolve;
Whereas given the importance of the Internet to the global economy, it is 
        essential that the underlying technical infrastructure of the Internet 
        remain stable and secure;
Whereas the developing world deserves the access to knowledge, services, 
        commerce, and communication, the accompanying benefits to economic 
        development, education, health care, and the informed discussion that is 
        the bedrock of democratic self-government that the Internet provides;
Whereas the explosive and hugely beneficial growth of the Internet did not 
        result from increased government involvement but from the opening of the 
        Internet to commerce and private sector innovation;
Whereas some nations that advocate radical change in the structure of Internet 
        governance censor the information available to their citizens through 
        the Internet and use the Internet as a tool of surveillance to curtail 
        legitimate political discussion and dissent, and other nations operate 
        telecommunications systems as state-controlled monopolies or highly 
        regulated and highly taxed entities;
Whereas some nations in support of transferring Internet governance to an entity 
        affiliated with the United Nations, or another international 
        governmental entity, might seek to have such an entity endorse national 
        policies that block access to information, stifle political dissent, and 
        maintain outmoded communications structures; and
Whereas the structure and control of Internet governance has profound 
        implications for homeland security, competition and trade, 
        democratization, free expression, access to information, privacy, and 
        the protection of intellectual property, and the threat of some nations 
        to take unilateral actions that would fracture the root zone file would 
        result in a less functional Internet with diminished benefits for all 
        people: Now, therefore be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) calls on the President to continue to oppose any effort 
        to transfer control of the Internet to the United Nations or 
        any other international governmental entity; and
            (2) calls on the President to--
                    (A) recognize the need for, and pursue a continuing 
                and constructive dialogue with the international 
                community on, the future of Internet governance; and
                    (B) advance the values of a free Internet in the 
                broader trade and diplomatic conversations of the 
                United States.
                                 <all>