Bill Text: NJ AR104 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges President to maintain U.S. responsibility over Internet's Domain Name System.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-02-22 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee [AR104 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-AR104-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman RONALD S. DANCER
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Urges President to maintain U.S. responsibility over Internet's Domain Name System.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution urging the President of the United States to maintain U.S. responsibility over the Internet's Domain Name System.
Whereas, The Internet currently provides over two billion people worldwide with access to information, services, commerce, and communication; and
Whereas, Each computer connected to the Internet is identified by a unique string of numbers, called an Internet Protocol (IP) address, that designates its specific location, and allows it to communicate over a network; and
Whereas, Domain names, like www.njleg.state.nj.us, are used to identify one or more IP addresses, and make it easier for users to locate and search websites across the Internet; and
Whereas, IP addresses are translated into domain names by the Domain Name System (DNS), a series of servers located on computers throughout the world; and
Whereas, The DNS is currently managed by a non-profit public benefit corporation called the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which is overseen by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in the United States Department of Commerce; and
Whereas, ICANN is governed by an internationally diverse board of directors, and works with governments, public interest organizations, businesses, and skilled individuals to preserve operational stability of the Internet, promote competition, and develop policy appropriate to its mission through bottom-up, consensus-based processes; and
Whereas, Among its accomplishments, ICANN has established market competition for generic domain name registrations, saving consumers over $1 billion annually; resolved more than 5,000 disputes over the rights of domain names; and adopted guidelines opening the way for registration of domains in hundreds of different languages; and
Whereas, NTIA oversight of ICANN has always focused on enhancing the reliability and stability of the Internet, while preserving its openness and innovative nature; and
Whereas, On March 14, 2014, NTIA announced its intent to relinquish control over ICANN and transition management of the DNS to "the global multi-stakeholder community"; and
Whereas, Elected officials, members of the news media, technology experts, and think tanks have all voiced concern that such a transition could diminish freedom of expression on the Internet in favor of government control over content; and
Whereas, Other nations, like China and Russia, have repeatedly sought, through the United Nations, to gain control over Internet governance, and to constrain and censor the Internet; and
Whereas, As the United States cedes its control over the DNS, nations will be emboldened to escalate their efforts to claim a role in Internet governance, and intrude on the transition process in a counterproductive manner; and
Whereas, If granted a stake in ICANN, authoritarian nations could seek to stifle internal dissent by preventing certain websites from registering a domain name, thereby making it difficult for users to access those websites; and
Whereas, Although NTIA has stated that it opposes granting oversight of the DNS to a government-led or inter-governmental organization, once the United States ends oversight, its ability to enforce this outcome is diminished; and
Whereas, After the transition, ICANN's executive committee will have greater autonomy and could act in ways contrary to United States interests and the interest of a free and open Internet; and
Whereas, Former President Bill Clinton recently expressed concern over the transition, stating "People who have been trying to take this authority from the United States do it for the sole purpose of cracking down on Internet freedom and limiting it and having government protect their backsides instead of empowering their people"; and
Whereas, Given the continued success of ICANN in maintaining a free and open Internet, and the risks involved with transitioning its control to the global community, the New Jersey General Assembly believes that the United States should maintain its responsibility over the DNS; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The President of the United States is respectfully urged to protect freedom of expression on the Internet and maintain United States responsibility over the Internet's Domain Name System.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the President of the United States, the United States Secretary of Commerce, and the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
STATEMENT
This resolution respectfully urges the President of the United States to maintain United States responsibility over the Internet's Domain Name System.
The Internet currently provides over two billion people worldwide with access to knowledge, services, commerce, and communication. Navigating the Internet requires using Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and corresponding domain names that identify the location of individual computers. IP addresses are translated into domain names by the Domain Name System (DNS), a series of servers located on computers throughout the world. The DNS is currently managed by a non-profit corporation called the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which is overseen by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Since its inception in 1998, ICANN has sought to preserve operational stability of the Internet, promote competition, and develop sound global policies. NTIA oversight of ICANN has always focused on enhancing the reliability and stability of the Internet, while preserving its openness and innovative nature.
On March 14, 2014, NTIA announced its intent to relinquish control over ICANN and transition management of the DNS to "the global multi-stakeholder community." Since then, elected officials, the news media, technology experts, and think tanks have all voiced concern that such a transition could diminish freedom of expression on the Internet in favor of government control over content. Other nations, like China and Russia, have repeatedly sought to gain control over Internet governance, and to constrain and censor the Internet. If granted a stake in ICANN, these nations could seek to stifle internal dissent by preventing certain websites from registering a domain name, thereby making it difficult for users to access those websites. Although NTIA has stated that it opposes granting oversight of the DNS to a governmental organization, once the United States ends oversight, its ability to enforce this outcome is diminished.
Given the continued success of ICANN in maintaining a free and open Internet, and the risks involved with transitioning its control to the global community, the General Assembly believes that the United States should maintain its responsibility over the DNS.
