Rep Shimkus: Senate must pass Internet domain bill

Rep John Shimkus (R-IL) said the Senate must pass his bill if Congress wants any oversight over the government's handoff of the Internet domain name system. Rep Shimkus, who sponsors an oversight bill that already passed the House, said his bill should move easily through the Senate chamber before adding, "nothing moves easily through the Senate chamber." "But if you really want to have an extension of the contract, so that you can do at least oversight over the final product, you have to pass the Dotcom Act, the President has to sign it into law," he said.

Bipartisan lawmakers recently struck a compromise that would give Congress 30 legislative day to review a final transition plan before it moves forward. It would also require the non-profit group in charge of the transition to implement a number of accountability measures before the move. Sen Ted Cruz (R-TX) has placed a hold on the legislation in the upper chamber. He wants to add an amendment that would require a congressional vote before the transition moved forward. The current legislation would allow the transition if Congress does not act. But GOP supporters of the bill, like Rep Shimkus, say that would upset the delicate compromise struck with Democrats.