[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 317 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 317
Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding oversight of the Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 16, 2005
Mr. Burns (for himself, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Smith, Mr. Stevens,
Mr. Sununu, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Inhofe, Mr.
Allen, and Mr. Craig) submitted the following concurrent resolution;
which was considered and agreed to
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding oversight of the Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.
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, 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 flexibility to innovate and evolve:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate, That it is the sense of the Senate 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 worldwide, and
otherwise fulfill its core technical mission.D23/
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