April 14, 2014, Fairfax, VA — Americans for Limited Government President Nathan Mehrens today issued the following statement urging passage of H.R. 4367, the “Internet Stewardship Act” offered by Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Penn.) that would require Congressional authorization for any federal turnover of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) to any other entity:
“President Obama should not be giving the Internet away to anyone without a vote in Congress. Rep. Kelly’s legislation will reaffirm Congressional authority over any Internet transition taking place, guaranteeing that our elected representatives have a say in keeping the World Wide Web free and open from censorship. But, with the current Commerce Department contract with ICANN coming to an end in September 2015, the House will need to move decisively to enact it and then work with Senate colleagues to force a vote there, too.
“The Administration has yet to produce a legal analysis justifying turning over key Internet names and numbers authorities without Congressional authority to some as of yet unconstituted international body. It has also failed to show how current First Amendment protections of free speech afforded under the current regime of Internet stewardship will be safeguarded once the the Commerce Department’s arrangement with ICANN ends. The House should take immediate action to move the Internet Stewardship Act to the floor for passage.”
Attachments:
“FOIA requests Commerce Dept. legal authority to turn over Internet,” March 27, 2014 at http://getliberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/DOC-NTIA-FOIA-re-ICANN-03-27-14.pdf
“Can Obama turn over the Internet without Congress?” By ALG senior editor Robert Romano, April 1, 2014 at http://netrightdaily.com/2014/04/can-obama-give-away-internet-without-congress/
Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at (202)744-4427 or at media@algnews.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Nathan Mehrens.
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