Chamber of Commerce Announces Support of Bono Mack Legislation to Protect Internet

Statement

Reacting to news that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has announced its "strong support" for her Internet governance resolution, Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack (CA-45), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade, issued the following statement:

"I want to thank the Chamber of Commerce for its strong support of H. Con. Res. 127. As the United States prepares to take part in the World Conference on International Telecommunications in Dubai, we need to provide our delegation with a clear and unmistakable mandate: Keep the Internet free of any government control.

"At the WCIT discussions, a new treaty on Internet governance will be debated. Most worrisome to me are efforts by some countries to provide the United Nations with unprecedented new authority over the management of the Internet.

"In many ways, we're facing a referendum on the future of the Internet. A vote for my resolution is a vote to keep the Internet free from government control and to prevent Russia, China and other nations from succeeding in giving the U.N. unprecedented power over Web content and infrastructure. That's the quickest way for the Internet to one day become a wasteland of unfilled hopes, dreams and opportunities.

"I also want to thank Chairman Fred Upton, Ranking Member Henry Waxman, Communications & Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden and Ranking Subcommittee Member Anna Eshoo for their leadership on this issue. To date, 46 members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee are co-sponsors of my legislation, making this a truly bi-partisan effort."

Tomorrow at 10 a.m., the Energy and Commerce Committee will vote on H. Con. Res. 127. The full House is expected to take up the legislation in the near future.

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