ICYMI: Sen. Cruz Ramps Up Opposition to Internet Transition

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Wednesday unveiled a new countdown clock site urging Congress to stop President Obama’s planned Internet giveaway before October 1, when the Obama administration intends to transition oversight of Internet domains to a global organization that includes authoritarian regimes such as China, Russia, and Iran.

Bloomberg BNA highlighted Sen. Cruz’s ongoing efforts to prevent increased foreign government influence over the Internet’s management and operation.

Read the article in its entirety here. Excerpts are available below:

Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz launched a micro-site Aug. 31 calling on Congress to stop the U.S. Commerce Department from ceding oversight of technical internet functions—a plan he says would open the door to foreign censorship.

Cruz is trying to draw attention to what he believes is at stake if and when the Commerce Department allows its contract with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, the nonprofit entity that coordinates the domain name system, to expire Sept. 30 as planned. He argues the move would empower governments such as China and Russia that want to censor online content. Cruz wants Congress to act next month. 

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Cruz introduced legislation, the Protecting Internet Freedom Act (S. 3034), in June that would prevent the Commerce Department from carrying out the transition (21 ECLR 954, 6/15/16). Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) introduced an identical bill (H.R. 5418) in the House. Neither bill has advanced.

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