The Senate Committee led by U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a full committee hearing titled “Examining the Multistakeholder Plan for Transitioning the Internet Assigned Number Authority” on Tuesday, May 24, 2016, at 10:00 a.m, ET.
The hearing will examine the proposed transition of oversight of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), a department of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) that allocates Internet IP addresses and domain names, to the global multistakeholder community. Two years ago, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced its intention to transition IANA functions. On March 10, 2016, ICANN forwarded to the NTIA a transition proposal developed by the international community of Internet stakeholders. The NTIA set a target of 90 days to complete its review. Witnesses will testify on advantages and disadvantages of the proposed transition of IANA functions to the global multistakeholder community.
Witnesses:
To be announced,
The Witness testimony, opening statements, and a livestream will be available on www.commerce.senate.gov.
Permalink: http://www.commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2016/5/hearing-to-examine-iana-transition-to-global-multistakeholder-community
In another related development reported by TheHill.com members of Congress from the Republican wing are again moving to block the Obama administration’s plan to hand off oversight of the internet domain name system. This is after “A House Appropriations subcommittee on Wednesday advanced a funding bill for Commerce, Justice and Science that included a provision barring the government from using funds to make the transition through 2017 … Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) appears to be circulating a letter to colleagues pressing the head of the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Association (NTIA) to delay the handoff amid concerns.” (TheHill, supra, emphasis added).