Despite Thursdays move its not clear that Republicans have the votes to block the handoff. But the issue now appears more likely to become a high-profile debate in coming weeks and possibly become fodder for the fall election campaigns.
Lawmakers have adopted budget restrictions in recent years to try to stave off the move but those have been ineffective in blocking the administrations preparations. Now lawmakers are likely to contemplate more explicit restrictions as part of a stopgap spending bill they will consider in September.
Thursdays letter came from the leaders of four congressional committees that have big roles in overseeing the internet -- Senate Judiciary Chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA) Senate Commerce Chairman John Thune (R-SD) House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) and House Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI).
The letter said:
A number of unresolved matters" continue to dog the planned transfer including concerns about ICANNs accountability the possibility that it could move overseas and legal questions about whether the transfer amounts to a relinquishing of government property that has to be authorized by Congress.
The letter called on Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker to address the questions and reconsider" the administrations planned Oct. 1 transfer.
Sen. Ted Cruz (at right R-TX) a longtime critic of the transfer gave a lengthy floor speech raising questions about the future safety of the domains used by the federal government. He also contended that the handoff could encourage authoritarian governments to expand censorship on the internet.
Congress should not sit by and let this happen" Mr. Cruz said Thursday adding To hand over control of the internet to potentially muzzle everybody on the internet…that ought to frighten everybody."
But the tech community has long backed the move. On Thursdays conference call an internet industry official rejected Mr. Cruzs arguments saying the transfer was the best way to maintain international support for an open internet.The reality is that this is not about censorship of the internet its about preserving the internet" the official said.He said that a recent exchange of letters has affirmed that the U.S. government will remain the administrator of its core domains such as dot-mil.
ICANN which already has significant responsibilities in helping run the internet has faced favoritism complaints in its dealings with some of the companies that do the work of keeping the internet running. The organization adamantly denies any favoritism and some of its critics believe that recent changes will make it more accountable.
The Obama administration announced in August it would formally turn over the governments basic internet oversight.
