III 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 317 

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding oversight of the Internet 

Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 16, 2005 

Mr. BURNS (for himself, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. INOUYE, Mr. SMITH, Mr. STEVENS, 

Mr. SUNUNU, Mr. NELSON of Florida, Mrs. HUTCHISON, Mr. INHOFE, 

Mr. ALLEN, and Mr. CRAIG) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding oversight of 

the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. 

Whereas the origins of the Internet can be found in 

United States Government funding of research to develop packet-switching technology and communications networks, starting with the ‘‘ARPANET’’ network established by the Department of Defense’s Advanced Research Projects Agency in the 1960s and 

carried forward by the National Science Foundation’s 

‘‘NSFNET’’; 

Whereas in subsequent years the Internet evolved from a 

United States Government research initiative to a 

global tool for information exchange as in the 1990s 
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it was commercialized by private sector investment, 

technical management and coordination; 

Whereas since its inception the authoritative root zone 

server—the file server system that contains the master list of all top level domain names made available 

for routers serving the Internet—has been physically 

located in the United States; 

Whereas today the Internet is a global communications 

network of inestimable value; 

Whereas the continued success and dynamism of the 

Internet is dependent upon continued private sector 

leadership and the ability for all users to participate 

in its continued evolution; 

Whereas in allowing people all around the world freely to 

exchange information, communicate with one another, and facilitate economic growth and democracy, 

the Internet has enormous potential to enrich and 

transform human society; 

Whereas existing structures have worked effectively to 

make the Internet the highly robust medium that it 

is today; 

Whereas the security and stability of the Internet’s underlying infrastructure, the domain name and addressing system, must be maintained; 

Whereas the United States has been committed to the 

principles of freedom of expression and the free flow 

of information, as expressed in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and reaffirmed 

in the Geneva Declaration of Principles adopted at 

the first phase of the World Summit on the Information Society; 
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Whereas the U.S. Principles on the Internet’s Domain 

Name and Addressing System, issued on June 30, 

2005, represent an appropriate framework for the coordination of the system at the present time; 

Whereas the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names 

and Numbers popularly known as ICANN, is the 

proper organization to coordinate the technical dayto-day operation of the Internet’s domain name and 

addressing system; 

Whereas all stakeholders from around the world, including governments, are encouraged to advise ICANN in 

its decision-making; 

Whereas ICANN makes significant efforts to ensure that 

the views of governments and all Internet stakeholders are reflected in its activities; 

Whereas governments have legitimate concerns with respect to the management of their country code top 

level domains; 

Whereas the United States Government is committed to 

working successfully with the international community to address those concerns, bearing in mind the 

need for stability and security of the Internet’s domain name and addressing system; 

Whereas the topic of Internet governance, as currently 

being discussed in the United Nations World Summit 

on the Information Society is a broad and complex 

topic; 

Whereas it is appropriate for governments and other 

stakeholders to discuss Internet governance, given 

that the Internet will likely be an increasingly impor-
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tant part of the world economy and society in the 

21st Century; 

Whereas Internet governance discussions in the World 

Summit should focus on the real threats to the Internet’s growth and stability, and not recommend 

changes to the current regime of domain name and 

addressing system management and coordination on 

political grounds unrelated to any technical need; and 

Whereas market-based policies and private sector leadership have allowed this medium the flexibility to innovate and evolve: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the Senate, That it is the sense of the 

2 Senate that— 

3 (1) it is incumbent upon the United States and 

4 other responsible governments to send clear signals 

5 to the marketplace that the current structure of 

6 oversight and management of the Internet’s domain 

7 name and addressing service works, and will con8 tinue to deliver tangible benefits to Internet users 

9 worldwide in the future; and 

10 (2) therefore the authoritative root zone server 

11 should remain physically located in the United 

12 States and the Secretary of Commerce should main13 tain oversight of ICANN so that ICANN can con14 tinue to manage the day-to-day operation of the 

15 Internet’s domain name and addressing system well, 
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1 remain responsive to all Internet stakeholders world2 wide, and otherwise fulfill its core technical mission. 

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