WASHINGTON, DC - House Energy and Commerce leaders today commended Ambassador Terry Kramer, Ambassador Philip Verveer and the rest of the U.S. Delegation’s decision not to sign an international telecommunications treaty that would expand the role for the UN on Internet issues. Reps. Fred Upton (R-MI), Greg Walden (R-OR), Mary Bono Mock (R-CA), Lee Terry (R-NE), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Bob Latta (R-OH) issued the following statement:
“Ambassador Kramer and the U.S. delegation should be commended for their principled stance on behalf of Internet users around the globe. Despite reservations by many of the member states present and assurances from the International Telecommunications Union that the WCIT would not address regulation of Internet networks and content, it appears that the ITU is poised to do just that.
“As recently as last week, the U.S. Congress reaffirmed its unanimous commitment to preserving and advancing the Internet under its existing multi-stakeholder model of governance and rejecting increased governmental control. Unfortunately, it appears that the WCIT will adopt a document that would acknowledge a role for the United Nations in Internet governance and take other detrimental steps toward international government control of the Internet. The United States cannot support such a role and did not support such a role.
“We thank Ambassador Kramer, Ambassador Verveer, and the rest of the U.S. delegation for having the courage to stand for the principles of the Congress, the administration, the American people, and people around the world who have benefitted from the discourse and commerce the Internet fosters."
