To Protect the Future of the Internet, Subcommittee Advances the DOTCOM Act

The Communications and Technology Subcommittee, chaired by Rep Greg Walden (R-OR), advanced H.R. 4342, the Domain Openness Through Continued Oversight Matters (DOTCOM) Act of 2014.

The legislation, authored by Rep John Shimkus (R-IL) and cosponsored by ten members of the full committee, was approved by a vote of 16 to 10. Full committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) added, “This is a question of domestic US policy and good government. Our interest and engagement in this process should exceed those nations who censor their citizens and desire to control the web. We must take our time and ensure that any successor to NTIA holds the same values we have instilled in the Internet and will resist efforts by governments to take control of the root zone. Once we transfer this oversight role away, there’s no going back.”

The DOTCOM Act was drafted by Rep Shimkus in response to the Obama Administration’s recent proposal regarding the future of the Internet. The administration’s proposal instructs the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to explore ways to remove the United States from its oversight role of the Domain Name System (DNS) and replace it with a different multistakeholder governance model. The DOTCOM Act directs the Government Accountability Office to study the proposed changes and present a non-partisan evaluation before the administration may take action to modify the current DNS.

“The reality is it would be irresponsible for NTIA to move forward without carefully considering the national security implications of this transfer. The administration says it won’t move to a ‘multistakeholder model’ that could compromise the openness of the Internet today, but they need to explain to Congress and the American people how they’ll guarantee a new multistakeholder regime won’t be influenced by foreign governments or the ITU tomorrow," said Rep Shimkus.