IV 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 628 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States 
should preserve, enhance, and increase access to an open, global Internet. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 19, 2012 
Mr. MCCAUL (for himself and Mr. LANGEVIN) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 
the United States should preserve, enhance, and increase 
access to an open, global Internet. 
Whereas in a September 12, 2011, letter to the Secretary- 
General of the United Nations, the Permanent Rep-
resentatives 
of 
China, 
the 
Russian 
Federation, 
Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to the United Nations wrote 
of their intention to offer a General Assembly resolution 
calling for an international code of conduct for informa-
tion security; 
Whereas this proposed code seeks to establish international 
legal justification for exclusive government control over 
Internet resources and rejects the current multi-stake-
holder model that has enabled the Internet to flourish, 
where the private sector, civil society, academia, and indi-
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•HRES 628 IH 
vidual users played an important role in charting its di-
rection; 
Whereas countries have obligations to protect human rights, 
which apply to activity online as well as offline; 
Whereas the ability to innovate, develop technical capacity, 
grasp economic opportunities, and promote freedom of 
expression online is best realized in cooperation with all 
stakeholders; 
Whereas the proposed code represents a threat to the free 
flow of information on the Internet and would diminish 
the universal right to freedom of expression in favor of 
government control over content in order to preserve po-
litical stability, contrary to international law; 
Whereas the position of the United States Government is and 
has been to advocate for the free flow of information, 
Internet freedom, and multi-stakeholder governance 
internationally; and 
Whereas the White House’s May 2011 International Strategy 
for Cyberspace makes an open, global internet a clear 
policy priority of the United States: Now, therefore, be 
it 
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep-
resentatives that if a resolution calling for endorsement 
of the proposed international code of conduct for informa-
tion security or a resolution inconsistent with the prin-
ciples above comes up for a vote in the United Nations 
General Assembly or other international organization, the 
Permanent Representative of the United States to the 
United Nations or the United States representative to 
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•HRES 628 IH 
such other international organization should oppose such 
a resolution. 
Æ 
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