FC: Bush admin's noncommittal response to Congress on ICANN

From: Declan McCullagh (declanat_private)
Date: Tue Apr 30 2002 - 09:04:05 PDT

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    Previous Politech message:
    
    "House Commerce committee wants Bush admin to 'keep tabs' on ICANN"
    http://www.politechbot.com/p-03268.html
    
    Also see CDT etc. letter on .us dated yesterday:
    http://www.cdt.org/dns/020429dotus.shtml
    
    ---
    
    http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/congress/2002/tauzinletter_42602.htm
    
    
       Below is the text of a letter dated April 26, 2002, sent from
       Commerce Secretary Don Evans to House Energy and Commerce
       Chairman W. J. "Billy" Tauzin.  Secretary Evans sent the same letter
       to
       Representatives Dingell, Upton, Markey, and Shimkus.
    
       The Honorable W. J. "Billy" Tauzin
       Chairman
       Committee on Energy and Commerce
       Washington, DC 20515
       
       Dear Mr. Chairman:
       
       Thank you for your cosigned letter regarding the recent reform
       proposal put forward by the president of the Internet Corporation for
       Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).  Stable and sound management of
       the Internet domain name system (DNS) functions remains a top priority
       of the Department of Commerce.
       
       The Department has welcomed the call for reform of ICANN. We believe
       that ICANN needs to be an effective and focused organization. Reforms
       of the organization should ensure that ICANN can operate in a
       professional manner with the resources necessary to address the
       substantive issues of DNS management. Moreover, we support efforts to
       reform the organization in a manner that takes into account the views
       of Internet stakeholders.
       
       We view the proposal tabled by ICANN President Stuart Lynn as a
       starting point, not an ending point, for reform discussions. In this
       regard, we are pleased that at its recent meeting the ICANN Board of
       Directors took action to establish a process and a Committee on
       Evolution and Reform through which these important matters can be
       further considered and discussed by all stakeholders and the Internet
       community at large.  The ICANN Board directed the Committee to produce
       recommendations for a framework for the structure and functioning of a
       reformed ICANN and a timetable for implementing that framework by May
       31, 2002 (to be posted for public review and comment by that date),
       for consideration by the Board at its upcoming meeting in June. We
       understand that the Committee is charged specifically with addressing
       important matters such as public interest and stakeholder
       participation in decision making and the openness and effectiveness of
       the organization, among others. These were some of the areas of
       concern noted in your letter.
       
       Regarding your concerns over timing and the openness and transparency
       of the ICANN reform process, in addition to posting the
       recommendations of the Committee on Evolution and Reform for public
       comment by May 31, the process will be further considered at ICANN's
       open meeting in June after an opportunity for public participation and
       comment.
       
       I assure you that the Department is following the ICANN reform
       activities and process closely.  My staff is consulting with U.S.
       business and public interest groups to garner their thoughts on
       reform. We are also meeting with our foreign government counterparts
       and international organizations to address how governments can best
       support the reform process.
       
       I would like to reiterate that the Department of Commerce's primary
       interest continues to be the stable and secure management of the
       global Internet domain system. We will approach any domestic and
       international discussions on ICANN's reform agenda with this objective
       in mind.
       
       Thank you for sharing your concerns with me on this matter.  If you
       have any further questions, please feel free to call me or Brenda
       Becker, Assistant Secretary for Legislative and Intergovernmental
       Affairs, at (202) 482-3663.
       
       Warm regards,
       
       Donald L. Evans
    
    
    
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