Hearing of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee - Preserving the Multistakeholder Model of Internet Governance

Hearing

"Today we convene the Committee to evaluate the multistakeholder system of Internet governance.

"There has been no shortage of activity in this space in recent years, as I'm sure each of our panelists can attest.

"The goal of everyone here is the same: we want one, global Internet that is not fragmented nor hijacked by authoritarian regimes.

"The question is, how do we get there?

"This is the Commerce Committee's first hearing on Internet governance in quite some time.

"But this is not the beginning of our oversight on this issue.

"Following last year's announcement by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration of its intent to transfer the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, or IANA, functions to the global multistakeholder community, Senator Rubio and I led 33 of our Senate colleagues on an oversight letter to NTIA about the proposed transition.

"We stated our support for the current bottom-up, multistakeholder approach to Internet governance, and stressed the importance of standing firm on the administration's promise that it would not accept a proposal that replaces NTIA's role with a government-led or inter-governmental solution.

"We encouraged the multistakeholder community to act deliberately and transparently as it puts together a transition proposal.

"That remains as true today as when we first said it.

"In July, Senator Rubio and I weighed in on proposals to reform ICANN, via the "Enhancing ICANN Accountability" work stream, to support specific accountability measures that we believe must be achieved before any transition of the IANA functions.

"We continue to believe the stakeholder community should demand robust and significant accountability reforms, such as curtailing governmental involvement in apolitical governance matters; requiring a higher vote threshold for the ICANN Board when making major decisions; providing additional oversight tools to the multistakeholder community; and adopting an independent dispute resolution process.

"Administrator Strickling has encouraged the multistakeholder community to address how to remove board members and how to incorporate current accountability tools like the Affirmation of Commitments reviews.

"I completely agree.

"This morning we will hear from a mostly government panel about how best to ensure the multistakeholder model.

"But the private sector and civil society are active on this issue as well, and as the IANA transition process moves forward it may be appropriate for the Committee to dive deeper and hear from stakeholders who require an open and secure Internet to create jobs and grow our economy.

"If an IANA transition plan is presented to NTIA, I will scrutinize that plan to make sure it both meets the requirements laid out by NTIA and adopts meaningful accountability reforms that Senator Rubio and I have called for.

"Administrator Strickling has been very clear that accountability reforms go hand in glove with a transition plan, and I pledge that I'll hold the administration accountable for the "red lines" it has established throughout this process.

"In particular, I will be interested to see whether the stakeholder community can deliver a proposal that allows Internet users to continue to have faith the IANA functions are carried out effectively and seamlessly.

"And I'll focus on the adequacy of the accountability reforms in any proposal.

"Some worry that, in the absence of U.S. involvement in the IANA functions, ICANN may be subject to capture by authoritarian regimes, and these are valid concerns.

"But I also worry that, in the absence of the contract with the U.S government, ICANN could become an organization like FIFA -- the international soccer organization that is flush with cash, unresponsive to those it supposedly serves, and accountable to no one.

"The ICANN Board can demonstrate its own commitment to the multistakeholder model by accepting the stakeholder community's proposed reforms, even if that means lessening the board's powers in some areas.

"The multistakeholder community has one opportunity to get this right because the Internet is too important for democracy, world culture, and the interconnected global economy to allow poor governance to jeopardize its future.

"The mantra for all of us should be "measure twice, cut once.'

"We have a distinguished panel here today to share their experience and views. I'm looking forward to hearing from each of you."

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