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H.R. 805 (114th): DOTCOM Act of 2015

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The text of the bill below is as of Jun 23, 2015 (Passed the House).

Summary of this bill

The Domain Openness Through Continued Oversight Matters Act, or DOTCOM Act, would slow down the process of transitioning control over the Internet’s domain name system (e.g. the .com’s and .net’s) from being U.S.-government run to being run by a non-governmental global “multistakeholder” community. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, or NTIA, the government agency that currently oversees the domain name system, recommended in 2014 that control be privatized. This bill would add congressional oversight as NTIA transitions out of its role, requiring that certain accountability reforms be put in place in the existing governance model before making further changes.

I

114th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 805

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

AN ACT

To provide for certain requirements relating to the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority stewardship transition.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Domain Openness Through Continued Oversight Matters Act of 2015 or the DOTCOM Act of 2015.

2.

Requirements for IANA stewardship transition

(a)

In general

Until the date that is 30 legislative days after the submission to Congress of the report described in subsection (b), the Assistant Secretary may not permit the NTIA’s role in the performance of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority functions to terminate, lapse, be cancelled, or otherwise cease to be in effect.

(b)

Report described

The report described in this subsection is a report that contains—

(1)

the proposal relating to the transition of the NTIA’s stewardship of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority functions that was developed in a process convened by ICANN at the request of the NTIA; and

(2)

a certification by the Assistant Secretary that—

(A)

such proposal—

(i)

supports and enhances the multistakeholder model of Internet governance;

(ii)

maintains the security, stability, and resiliency of the Internet domain name system;

(iii)

meets the needs and expectations of the global customers and partners of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority services;

(iv)

maintains the openness of the Internet; and

(v)

does not replace the role of the NTIA with a government-led or intergovernmental organization solution; and

(B)

the required changes to ICANN’s bylaws contained in the final report of ICANN’s Cross Community Working Group on Enhancing ICANN Accountability and the changes to ICANN’s bylaws required by ICANN’s IANA Stewardship Transition Coordination Group have been adopted.

(c)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Assistant Secretary

The term Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information.

(2)

ICANN

The term ICANN means the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.

(3)

Legislative day

The term legislative day does not include Saturdays, Sundays, legal public holidays, or days either House of Congress is adjourned for more than 3 days during a session of Congress.

(4)

NTIA

The term NTIA means the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

Passed the House of Representatives June 23, 2015.

Karen L. Haas,

Clerk.