[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 148 (Wednesday, November 9, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12616-S12617]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE CURRENT RESOLUTION 64--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE CONGRESS 
REGARDING OVERSIGHT OF THE INTERNET CORPORATION FOR ASSIGNED NAMES AND 
                                NUMBERS

  Mr. BURNS (for himself, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Smith, Mr. 
Stevens, Mr. Sununu, Mr. Nelson of Florida, and Mrs. Hutchison) 
submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation:

                            S. Con. Res. 64

       Whereas the origins of the Internet can be found in United 
     States Government funding of research to develop packet-
     switching technology and communications networks, starting 
     with the ``ARPANET'' network established by the Department of 
     Defense's Advanced Research Projects Agency in the 1960s and 
     carried forward by the National Science Foundation's 
     ``NSFNET''.
       Whereas in subsequent years the Internet evolved from a 
     United States Government research initiative to a global tool 
     for information exchange as in the 1990s it was 
     commercialized by private sector investment, technical 
     management and coordination;
       Whereas since its inception the authoritative root zone 
     server-the file server system that contains the master list 
     of all top level domain names made available for routers 
     serving the Internet-has been physically located in the 
     United States;
       Whereas today the Internet is a global communications 
     network of inestimable value;
       Whercas the continued success and dynamism of the Internet 
     is dependent upon continued private sector leadership and the 
     ability for all users to participate in its continued 
     evolution;
       Whereas in allowing people all around the world freely to 
     exchange information, communicate with one another, and 
     facilitate economic growth and democracy, the Internet has 
     enormous potential to enrich and transform human society;
       Whereas existing structures have worked effectively to make 
     the Internet the highly robust medium that it is today;
       Whereas the security and stability of the Internet's 
     underlying infrastructure, the domain name and addressing 
     system, must be maintained;
       Whereas the United States has been committed to the 
     principles of freedom of expression and the free flow of 
     information, as expressed in Article 19 of the Universal 
     Declaration of Human Rights, and reaffirmed in the Geneva 
     Declaration of Principles adopted at the first phase of the 
     World Summit on the Information Society;

[[Page S12617]]

       Whereas the U.S. Principles on the Internet's Domain Name 
     and Addressing System, issued on June 30, 2005, represent an 
     appropriate framework for the coordination of the system at 
     the present time;
       Whereas the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and 
     Numbers popularly known as ICANN, is the proper organization 
     to coordinate the technical day-to-day operation of the 
     Internet's domain name and addressing system;
       Whereas all stakeholders from around the world, including 
     governments, are encouraged to advise ICANN in its decision-
     making;
       Whereas ICANN makes significant efforts to ensure that the 
     views of governments and all Internet stakeholders are 
     reflected in its activities;
       Whereas governments have legitimate concerns with respect 
     to the management of their country code top level domains;
       Whereas the United States Government is committed to 
     working successfully with the international community to 
     address those concerns, bearing in mind the need for 
     stability and security of the Internet's domain name and 
     addressing system;
       Whereas the topic of Internet governance, a as currently 
     being discussed in the United Nations World Summit on the 
     Information Society is a broad and complex topic;
       Whereas it is appropriate for governments and other 
     stakeholders to discuss Internet governance, given that the 
     Internet will likely be an increasingly important part of the 
     world economy and society in the 21st Century;
       Whereas Internet governance discussions in the World Summit 
     should focus on the real threats to the Internet's growth and 
     stability, and not recommend changes to the current regime of 
     domain name and addressing system management and coordination 
     on political grounds unrelated to any technical need; and
       Whereas market-based policies and private sector leadership 
     have allowed this medium the f1exibility to innovate and 
     evolve: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) it is incumbent upon the United States and other 
     responsible governments to send clear signals to the 
     marketplace that the current structure of oversight and 
     management of the Internet's domain name and addressing 
     service works, and will continue to deliver tangible benefits 
     to Internet users worldwide in the future; and
       (2) therefore the authoritative root zone server should 
     remain physically located in the United States and the 
     Secretary of Commerce should maintain oversight of ICANN so 
     that ICANN can continue to manage the day-to-day operation of 
     the Internet's domain name and addressing system well, remain 
     responsive to all Internet stakeholders world-wide, and 
     otherwise fulfill its core technical mission.

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