The Internet Society applauds Senators on both sides of the aisle for evaluating the transition of the oversight of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) functions to the global Internet community on the facts rather than inaccurate rhetoric. We thank Majority Leader McConnell and his staff for recognizing the implications of blocking the multistakeholder consensus of the ICANN community on the transition.
It is important for Congress to ensure that any final Continuing Resolution does not delay or block the transition. A delay could actually increase – not decrease – the possibility of international government control of the Internet and will signal to the global community that we do not believe in the multistakeholder model of governance.
This transition has been built upon a bipartisan consensus for almost twenty years through multiple Administrations. The time has finally arrived to remove the last direct United States governmental role in ICANN’s operation. The Internet Society believes that the transition will further strengthen the Internet as a stable, resilient and secure tool for empowering billions of people across the globe for decades to come. We urge the Congress to say #yestoIANA.
Kathryn Brown
President & CEO
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