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Rep. Kelly Re-Introduces Defending Internet Freedom Act

May 13, 2015

Bill protects Internet from foreign government, UN control

WASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA) – a member of the House Ways and Means Committee – issued the following statement today after introducing H.R. 2251, the Defending Internet Freedom Act of 2015. The legislation would prevent the Obama administration from relinquishing the critical functions of the Internet – currently stewarded by the United States – to any other entity without enhanced congressional oversight and until every freedom-protecting accountability requirement defined in the bill is completely satisfied. It is being co-sponsored by House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX), who also serves as chairman and co-founder of the Congressional High Tech Caucus.

Statement by Rep. Kelly:

“Preserving Internet freedom is an American duty, now and always. The Obama administration’s plan to transfer governance of the Internet to ‘the global multistakeholder community’ deserves serious scrutiny. A relinquishment of this magnitude must be handled with extreme caution and delicacy. That is why this bill’s requirements are strict, far-reaching, and non-negotiable. They will prevent the Internet and its countless offerings from ever being disrupted by a foreign power or group of powers, including the UN. For the sake of the Internet’s future, and the billions of people worldwide who benefit from it, we must never allow this vital tool to fall under the influence of any entity that does not cherish free speech and democratic principles as we do.”

Endorsements for the Defending Internet Freedom Act of 2015 include:

American Center for Law and Justice

Eagle Forum

Heritage Action for America

BACKGROUND: On March 14, 2014, the Obama administration announced that it will not renew the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) contract with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), thereby turning over stewardship of the Internet’s crucial functions to “the global multistakeholder community.” The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) functions contract expires on September 30, 2015, but the NTIA has an option to extend the contract until September 30, 2017, and an option to extend it until September 30, 2019.

According to media expert Gordon Crovitz, writing in The Wall Street Journal, “Russia, China and other authoritarian governments have already been working to redesign the Internet more to their liking, and now they will no doubt leap to fill the power vacuum caused by America's unilateral retreat.”

On June 11, 2014, Rep. Kelly authored a guest op-ed for Red Alert Politics describing the stakes of surrendering American stewardship of the Internet to a multinational body or any other entity. On July 15, 2014, Rep. Kelly hosted a policy briefing on Capitol Hill on the future of Internet governance in light of the Obama administration’s announcement. The briefing was attended by dozens of congressional staffers and featured professional analysis by three field experts.

On November 19, 2014, Rep. Kelly introducedthe Defending Internet Freedom Act of 2014 (H.R. 5737), which would prevent the Obama administration, or that of any future president, from relinquishing the critical functions of the Internet to any other entity without enhanced congressional oversight and until explicit, freedom-protecting requirements are met.

 

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