Coons, Schatz Oppose Compromise on IANA Transition Delay in CR
Two Democratic senators who have strongly backed the planned Internet Assigned Numbers Authority handover told us Wednesday they oppose a potential compromise on the short-term continuing resolution to fund the government when FY 2016 ends Sept. 30 that would delay the move. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., and other Senate Republicans were pushing for the inclusion of CR language that would extend an existing rider in the Department of Commerce's FY 2016 budget that bars NTIA from using its funds during the fiscal year to execute the IANA transition (see 1609130050).
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Some Senate Democratic leaders indicated in negotiations they're willing to allow the transition funding ban rider's inclusion in the CR if it's paired with language that would change the Export-Import Bank board's quorum rules to give it more flexibility, two lobbyists told us. Senate Democrats publicly opposed the transition rider language Tuesday (see 1609200054). Thune told reporters Wednesday he expects the transition language will be included in the final CR. The Senate cleared an initial procedural hurdle on the CR Tuesday, voting 89-7 to proceed to debate on the FY 2017 legislative branch budget (HR-5325), the vehicle for the CR. Senate leaders hadn't reached a deal on the CR text at our deadline Wednesday.
Senate Judiciary Oversight Subcommittee ranking member Chris Coons, D-Del., groaned at a mention of the proposed rider trade. He told us he favors “getting the Export-Import Bank back to functionality,” but “it is irrational and borderline outrageous that we have had a delay of this length on funding the government” because of Senate Republicans' push to attach the IANA rider to the CR. Coons promoted the transition during a Senate Judiciary Oversight hearing last week. Subcommittee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, criticized ICANN's transition-related plans during the hearing and claimed NTIA officials had broken U.S. law by continuing to evaluate the transition plans given the existing funding ban (see 1609140062).
Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, told us he's encouraging his Senate Democratic colleagues “not to give in” on the IANA transition rider. The changeover “is about the future of the internet and maintaining the model that has worked so well for not just the U.S. economy but the global economy,” Schatz said. “This may be an obscure issue to some people but that doesn't make it a small one. I don't think we should be trading on riders at all.” Coons and Schatz were among five Democratic lawmakers who jointly said in a TechCrunchopinion piece "if the Republicans successfully delay the transition, America’s enemies are sure to pounce." House Commerce Committee ranking member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., House Communications Subcommittee ranking member Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., and Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., also signed the TechCrunch opinion piece.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's campaign separately Wednesday backed the push to delay the transition. Trump "is committed to preserving Internet freedom for the American people and citizens all over the world," campaign National Policy Director Stephen Miller said in a statement. "The U.S. should not turn control of the Internet over to the United Nations and the international community." Congressional Republicans "are admirably leading a fight to save the Internet" via the proposed CR language, Miller said. Congressional Democrats "are refusing to protect the American people by not protecting the Internet.”