113,000 Petitioners Oppose Obama Internet Giveaway - Congresswoman: 'There is Such A Low Level of Trust with this Administration'

Bob Unruh / WND

More than 113,000 people have signed a petition to oppose President Obama’s planned Internet giveaway, and at least two legislative proposals against it already are in the works in Washington.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a hearing Wednesday on the White House proposal that would give up American control over the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.

ICANN provides vital oversight of domain names and Web addresses, but Obama’s Commerce Department has proposed turning those responsibilities over to a “multinational” body.

It took just days for more than 113,000 people to sign a petition by the American Center for Law and Justice opposing the plan.

Members of Congress confirmed that in just the past few weeks, some of the possible members of the multinational body — including Russia, Turkey, China and Malaysia — either have censored the Internet in their own nations or vowed to do it.

“This isn’t a theoretical debate,” warned Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., one of several lawmakers working on one of the legislative plans.

He’s joined by Reps. Todd Rokita, R-Ind., and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.

“There are real authoritarian governments in the world today who have no tolerance for the free flow of information and ideas,” Shimkus said. “What possible benefit could come from giving the Vladimir Putins of the world a new venue to push their anti-freedom agendas?”

Their bill is dubbed DOTCOM, the Domain Openness Through Continued Oversight Matters Act.

The other plan, the Internet Stewardship Act of 2014, is sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa.

Read more at WND:

http://www.wnd.com/2014/04/113000-petitioners-oppose-obama-internet-giveaway/#9BMAtkpau7pmtKhc.99