SENATE PASSES RUBIO-BACKED INTERNET FREEDOM BILL

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Senate today unanimously approved a bill led by U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL). The legislation proclaimed the Senate’s opposition to an international effort to regulate the Internet.

“I am pleased the U.S. Senate declared its unanimous opposition to international efforts to regulate the Internet,” said Rubio.  “Given the impact the Internet has had on commerce and the exercise of basic freedoms, we must proactively work to keep the Internet free and prevent enemies from dictating its future. We cannot stand idly by as countries use this conference and treaty to justify censoring the Internet and blocking the free flow of information among their citizens and the rest of the world.”

S.Con.Res. 50 is a bipartisan resolution Rubio introduced with Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) calling on the U.S. government to reinforce its commitment to Internet freedom by opposing international efforts to cede greater Internet regulatory power to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).  Last year, China, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan proposed an “international code of conduct” in an attempt to justify greater government control over the Internet and standardize international rules and behavior concerning cyberspace and information. These and other nations have been calling for more regulation over how the Internet operates and pushing to give the United Nations and ITU unprecedented control over Internet governance at the upcoming World Conference on International Telecommunications in December, when 193 countries will meet in Dubai to update the International Telecommunications Regulations (ITRs).