[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 19] [Senate] [Page 25549] [From the U.S. 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; Whereas 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; 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. ____________________