[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 98 (Wednesday, June 27, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4683-S4684]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 50--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS 
    REGARDING ACTIONS TO PRESERVE AND ADVANCE THE MULTISTAKEHOLDER 
         GOVERNANCE MODEL UNDER WHICH THE INTERNET HAS THRIVED

  Mr. RUBIO (for himself, Mrs. McCaskill, Mr. McCain, Mr. Kerry, Mr. 
DeMint, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. Johanns, Mr. Udall of New Mexico, 
Ms. Ayotte, Mr. Warner, Mr. Heller, Mr. Boozman, and Mr. Casey) 
submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                            S. Con. Res. 50

       Whereas given the importance of the Internet to the global 
     economy, it is essential that the Internet remain stable, 
     secure, and free from government control;
       Whereas the world deserves the access to knowledge, 
     services, commerce, and communication, the accompanying 
     benefits to economic development, education, and health care, 
     and the informed discussion that is the bedrock of democratic 
     self-government that the Internet provides;
       Whereas the structure of Internet governance has profound 
     implications for competition and trade, democratization, free 
     expression, and access to information;
       Whereas countries have obligations to protect human rights, 
     which are advanced by online activity as well as offline 
     activity;
       Whereas the ability to innovate, develop technical 
     capacity, grasp economic opportunities, and promote freedom 
     of expression online is best realized in cooperation with all 
     stakeholders;
       Whereas proposals have been put forward for consideration 
     at the 2012 World Conference on International 
     Telecommunications that would fundamentally alter the 
     governance and operation of the Internet;
       Whereas the proposals, in international bodies such as the 
     United Nations General Assembly, the United Nations 
     Commission on Science and Technology for Development, and the 
     International Telecommunication Union, would attempt to 
     justify increased government control over the Internet and 
     would undermine the current multistakeholder model that has 
     enabled the Internet

[[Page S4684]]

     to flourish and under which the private sector, civil 
     society, academia, and individual users play an important 
     role in charting its direction;
       Whereas the proposals would diminish the freedom of 
     expression on the Internet in favor of government control 
     over content;
       Whereas the position of the United States Government has 
     been and is to advocate for the flow of information free from 
     government control; and
       Whereas this and past Administrations have made a strong 
     commitment to the multistakeholder model of Internet 
     governance and the promotion of the global benefits of the 
     Internet: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that the 
     Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of 
     Commerce, should continue working to implement the position 
     of the United States on Internet governance that clearly 
     articulates the consistent and unequivocal policy of the 
     United States to promote a global Internet free from 
     government control and preserve and advance the successful 
     multistakeholder model that governs the Internet today.

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