House Leaders Urge Preservation Of ICANN Role (US)

[Robert Guerra]

Not sure i've seen this on any of the ICANN related lists yet..


(US Congress) House Leaders Urge Preservation Of ICANN Role
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2008/05/house_leaders_urge_preservatio.php


Posted on May 6, 2008

(US Congress) House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John
Dingell and ranking member Joe Barton joined 14 other colleagues on
Tuesday in sending a letter to Commerce Secretary Gutierrez praising
the administration's continued oversight of the international entity
charged with administering the Internet.

The lawmakers also asked the Commerce Department to comment on the
possibility of an overseas relocation of the Internet Corporation for
Assigned Names and Numbers, which is currently based in Marina Del
Ray, Calif. Rumors have swirled in recent years that some foreign
government and industry stakeholders want ICANN's headquarters to move
to Brussels.

The concern comes as ICANN's leaders gradually try to transition the
coordination of technical functions of the Web to the private sector.
"Any change that threatens the important U.S. role in promoting U.S.
commercial and free speech principles on the Internet can only hurt
the consumers and businesses that count on this network every day,"
they wrote.

The letter requests a response to a handful of questions about ICANN's
future within two weeks time. While ICANN remains the "best option for
reaching consensus in an increasingly divided world," members said the
organization should ensure transparency and promote greater
accountability in its operations. ICANN constituents meet several
times a year and their next meeting is scheduled for June 22-26 in
Paris, France.