Resources | ICANN's Relationship with the U.S. Government

ICANN History Project

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Agreements | Documents | Correspondence | U.S. Government Hearings | ICANN Board Resolutions | News & Media | Other Resources

Featured Resources

• Letter from Lawrence Strickling, NTIA, to Steve Crocker, regarding the Affirmation of Commitments (6 January 2017)
• ICANN, Proposal to Transition Stewardship of the IANA Functions (10 March 2016)
• Joint Affirmation of Commitments by the U.S. Department of Commerce and ICANN (30 September 2009)
• Joint Project Agreement between the U.S. Department of Commerce and ICANN (29 September 2006)
• The Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG) Report (June 2005)
• NTIA, U.S. Principles on the Internet's Domain Name and Addressing System (30 June 2005)
• U.S. General Accounting Office, Department of Commerce: Relationship with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (H. R. Conf. Rep. No. 106-479) (7 July 2000)
• Articles of Incorporation of Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers (21 November 1998)
• Memorandum of Understanding Between the U.S. Department of Commerce and ICANN (25 November 1998)
• NTIA, Management of Internet Names and Addresses (The "White Paper" - 5 June 1998)
• NTIA, Proposal to Improve the Technical Management of Internet Names and Addresses (The "Green Paper" - 20 February 1998)
• President Clinton, Vice President Gore, A Framework for Global Electronic Commerce (1 July 1997)
• U.S. Government Hearings with ICANN

Agreements

• Joint Affirmation of Commitments by the U.S. Department of Commerce and ICANN (30 September 2009)
• Joint Project Agreement between the U.S. Department of Commerce and ICANN (29 September 2006)
• Memorandum of Understanding with U.S. Department of Commerce
  • Memorandum of Understanding Between the U.S. Department of Commerce and ICANN (25 November 1998)
  • Amendment 1 to ICANN/DOC Memorandum of Understanding (10 November 1999)
  • Amendment 2 to ICANN/DOC Memorandum of Understanding (30 August 2000)
  • Amendment 3 to ICANN/DOC Memorandum of Understanding (25 May 2001)
  • Amendment 4 to ICANN/DOC Memorandum of Understanding (4 September 2001)
  • Amendment 5 to ICANN/DOC Memorandum of Understanding (19 September 2002)
  • Amendment 6 to ICANN/DOC Memorandum of Understanding (16 September 2003)

  Reports to the Department of Commerce under this memorandum of understanding:

  • Status Report to the U.S. Department of Commerce (15 June 1999)
  • Second Status Report to the Department of Commerce (30 June 2000)
  • Third Status Report to the Department of Commerce (3 July 2001)
  • Fourth Status Report to the Department of Commerce (15 August 2002)
  • Fifth Status Report to the Department of Commerce (8 January 2003)
  • Sixth Status Report to the Department of Commerce (31 March 2003)
  • Seventh Status Report to the Department of Commerce (30 June 2003)
  • Eighth Status Report to the Department of Commerce (1 August 2003)
  • Ninth Status Report to the Department of Commerce (7 April 2004)
  • Tenth Status Report to the Department of Commerce (7 October 2004)
  • Eleventh Status Report to the Department of Commerce (7 April 2005)
  • Twelfth Status Report to the Department of Commerce (7 October 2005)
  • Thirteenth Status Report to the Department of Commerce (7 April 2006)
• IANA Function Contracts with U.S. Government
  • ICANN/U.S. Government Contract for the IANA Function (9 February 2000)
    • Modification 0001 to ICANN/U.S. Government Contract for the IANA Function (6 September 2000)
  • ICANN/U.S. Government Contract for the IANA Function (21 March 2001).
  • ICANN/U.S. Government Contract for Performance of the IANA Function (17 March 2003)
    • Amendment/Modification to Extend the U.S./ICANN Contract for Performance of the IANA Function (2 September 2003)
    • Preliminary Notification of the Governments intent to Extend the Term of Contract No.: DG1335-03-SE-0336 (8 August 2003)
  • ICANN/U.S. Government Contract for Performance of the IANA Function (14 August 2006)
    • Amendment/Modification to Extend Term of Contract (14 June 2011)
  • ICANN/U.S. Government Contract for the IANA Functions [PDF, 857 KB] (effective 1 October 2012)
  • Modification No. 0001 [PDF, 165 KB] (effective 1 October 2012)
  • Modification No. 0002 [PDF, 203 KB] (effective 30 April 2013)
  • Modification No. 0004 [PDF, 195 KB] (effective 17 September 2015)
  • Modification No. 0005 [PDF, 2.37 MB] (effective 2 February 2016)
• Root-Nameserver Agreements
  • Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the United States Government
    • Amendment 1 to CRADA (September 2000)
    • Amendment 2 to CRADA (28 September 2001)
    • Public Summary of Reports Provided Under CRADA (14 March 2003)
• University of Southern California/ICANN Agreement (December 1998)

Documents

• ICANN, Proposal to Transition Stewardship of the IANA Functions (10 March 2016)
• The Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG) Report (June 2005)
• NTIA, U.S. Principles on the Internet's Domain Name and Addressing System (30 June 2005)
• .xxx sTLD Proposal (19 March 2004)
• U.S. General Accounting Office, Department of Commerce: Relationship with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (H. R. Conf. Rep. No. 106-479) (7 July 2000)
• ICANN's status reports submitted to the Department of Commerce (1999 - 2016)
• Articles of Incorporation of Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers (21 November 1998)
• NTIA, Management of Internet Names and Addresses (The "White Paper" - 5 June 1998)
• NTIA, Proposal to Improve the Technical Management of Internet Names and Addresses (The "Green Paper" - 20 February 1998)
• President Clinton, Vice President Gore, A Framework for Global Electronic Commerce (1 July 1997)
• Meeting Summary Report: The National Science Foundation Workshop on Name Registration for the ".COM" Domain (30 September 1994)

Correspondence

Correspondence between ICANN and the U.S. Government

• Letter from Lawrence Strickling, NTIA, to Steve Crocker, regarding the Affirmation of Commitments (6 January 2017)
• Letter from Steve Crocker to Lawrence Strickling, NTIA, regarding the Affirmation of Commitments (6 January 2017)
• Letter from Lawrence Strickling (NTIA) to Göran Marby, regarding the IANA Stewardship Transition Proposal Implementation Planning Status Report (16 August 2016)
• Letter from Göran Marby to Lawrence Strickling, regarding the IANA Stewardship Transition Proposal Implementation Planning Status Report (12 August 2016)
• Letter from Lawrence Strickling to Steve Crocker, regarding the IANA Stewardship Transition Proposal Implementation Planning Status Report (9 June 2016)
• Letter from Göran Marby to Lawrence Strickling, regarding U.S. Government Administered Top Level Domains (6 June 2016)
• Letter from Lawrence Strickling to Göran Marby, regarding U.S. Government Administered Top Level Domains (3 June 2016)
• Letter from John Thune and Brian Schatz, U.S. Senate, to Steve Crocker, regarding the IANA Stewardship Transition (15 October 2015)
• Letter from Alissa Cooper, Patrik Fälström, and Mohamed El Bashir to Lawrence Strickling, regarding the IANA stewardship transition (6 July 2015)
• Letter from Randy Forbes and Suzan DelBene, Congressional Trademark Caucus, to Fadi Chehadé and Steve Crocker, regarding .AMAZON (19 June 2015)
• Letter from Penny Pritzker to Steve Crocker, regarding ICANN 51 (3 November 2014)
• Letter from John Thune and Marco Rubio, U.S. Senate, to Steve Crocker, regarding input to the Enhancing ICANN Accountability Process (31 July 2014)
• Letter from Steve Crocker to Lawrence Strickling, regarding new gTLDs (21 June 2014)
• Letter from Lawrence Strickling to Steve Crocker, regarding the .africa TLD (13 June 2014)
• Letter from Lawrence Strickling to Steve Crocker, regarding GAC advice on new gTLDs (21 May 2014)
• Letter from John D. Rockefeller IV, U.S. Senate, to Steve Crocker, regarding .sucks (12 March 2014)
• Letter from Lawrence Strickling to Steve Crocker, regarding GAC advice on new gTLDs (4 February 2014)
• Letter from Lawrence Strickling to Steve Crocker, regarding new gTLDs (30 January 2014)
• Letter from Vernita D. Harris, NTIA, to Patrick Kane, regarding adding new gTLDs to the Root Zone (2 August 2013)
• Letter from John D. Rockefeller IV, U.S. Senate, to Steve Crocker, regarding new gTLDs (26 June 2013)
• Letter from Lawrence Strickling to Steve Crocker, regarding U.S. government's views on USPS objections to .mail (2 April 2013)
• Letter from ICANN, NTIA, and Verisign to the ICANN Board and GAC, regarding SSAC Letter of 2 July 2012 (5 November 2012)
• Letter from Lawrence Strickling to Steve Crocker, regarding the new gTLD program (4 October 2012)
• Letter from Patrick Leahy, Lamar Smith, Charles Grassley, and John Conyers, Jr., U.S. Congress, to Akram Atallah, regarding new gTLDs (7 August 2012)
• Letter from James Hedlund to Mona-Lisa Dunn, regarding RFP SA1301-12-RP-0043 IANA - Notification of Inclusion in Competitive Range (26 June 2012)
• Letter from Rod Beckstrom to Hon. Amy Klobuchar and Hon. Kelly Ayotte, U.S. Senate, regarding the New gTLD Program (2 February 2012)
• Letter from Rod Beckstrom to Hon. Fred Upton, U.S. House of Representatives, regarding the New gTLD program (2 February 2012)
• Letter from Rod Beckstrom to Hon. Patrick Leahy, Hon. Charles E. Grassley, Hon. Lamar Smith, Hon. John Conyers, Jr., U.S. Congress, regarding the New gTLD program (2 February 2012)
• Letter from Kurt Pritz to Hon. Barbara Boxer, Hon. Maria Cantwell, Hon. Claire McCaskill, Hon. Olympia Snowe and Hon. Mark Warner, U.S. Senate, regarding ICANN's expansion of Top Level Domain Names (25 January 2012)
• Letter from Kurt Pritz to the Honorable Greg Walden, U.S. House of Representatives, regarding Additional Questions from the December 14, 2011 Hearing Before the House Subcommittee on Communication and Technology, Committee on Energy and Commerce (20 January 2012)
• Letter from Lawrence Strickling to Steve Crocker, regarding the new gTLD program (3 January 2012)
• Letter from Rod Beckstrom to Fiona Alexander regarding ICANN Comments on IANA functions contract (22 July 2011)
• Letter from Lawrence Strickling to Peter Dengate-Thrush, regarding cross ownership issues (16 June 2011)
• Letter from Patrick Leahy and Charles Grassley, U.S. Congress, to Rod Beckstrom, regarding new gTLDs (27 December 2011)
• Letter from Amy Klobuchar and Kelly Ayotte, U.S. Senate, to Steve Crocker and Rod Beckstrom, regarding TLD expansion (22 December 2011)
• Letter from Lawrence Strickling to Rod Beckstrom, regarding new gTLDs and the Affirmation of Commitments (2 December 2010)
• Letter from Peter Dengate-Thrush to Fiona Alexander, NTIA, regarding NTIA's Notice of Inquiry (8 June 2009)
• Letter from Kurt Pritz to Fiona Alexander, NTIA, regarding proposed amendments to Registrar Accreditation Agreement (29 April 2009)
• Letter from Meredith Baker, NTIA, to Peter Dengate-Thrush, regardings new gTLDs (18 December 2008)
• Letter from Meredith Baker, NTIA, to Paul Twomey, regarding implementing DNSSEC Protocol in the Root Zone (9 September 2008)
• Letter from Paul Twomey to Meredith Baker, NTIA, regarding DNSSEC (2 September 2008)
• Letter from Paul Twomey to Meredith Baker, regarding DNSSEC (16 August 2008)
• Letter from Edward Viltz to Fiona Alexander, NTIA, regarding Public Interest Registry (28 July 2006)
• Letter from Stuart Lawley, ICM, to Sharil Tarmizi, regarding .xxx (25 March 2006)
• Letter from John Kneur, NTIA, to Sharil Tarmizi, regarding concerns about contract for approval of new top level domain, .xxx (20 March 2006)
• Letter from Paul Twomey to Sharil Tarmizi, regarding .xxx (11 February 2006)
• Letter from Michael Gallagher, U.S. Department of Commerce, to Vint Cerf, regarding ICM registry sTLD application (11 August 2005)
• Letter from Michael Gallagher to Paul Twomey, regarding approval of VeriSign as .NET Successor Registry (28 June 2005)
• Letter from Kathy Smith, U.S. Department of Commerce, to Dan Halloran, regarding changes to RRA (4 November 2004)
• Letter from Chip Pickering, U.S. Congress, to Donald Evans, regarding ICANN Rebidding Process for TLD .net (14 July 2004)
• Letter from Nancy Victory, U.S. Department of Commerce, to Stuart Lynn, regarding approval of PIR as successor .org operator (26 November 2002)
• Letter from Nancy Victory to Stuart Lynn, regarding VGRS annual neutrality audit (25 July 2002)
• Letter from Stuart Lynn to Nancy Victory, regarding ICANN reform (19 July 2002)
• Letter from Nancy Victory to Stuart Lynn, regarding ICANN Reform (11 July 2002)
• Letter from Nancy Victory to Stuart Lynn, regarding U.S. Department of Commerce consideration of MOU renewal (10 July 2002)
• Letter from Donald Evans (US Secretary of Commerce) to Vint Cerf, regarding September 11 (19 October 2001)
• Letter from Donald Evans, U.S. Department of Commerce, to Vint Cerf, regarding new TLDs (25 May 2001)
• Letter from Louis Touton to Howard Berman, US House Judiciary Committee, regarding the Subcommittee hearing on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property (1 May 2001)
• Letter from Aldon Abbott, U.S. Department of Commerce, to Stuart Lynn, regarding schedule for review of proposed revisions to VeriSign agreements (24 April 2001)
• Letter from Stuart Lynn to Karen Rose, U.S. Department of Commerce, regarding proposed revisions to VeriSign Agreements (16 April 2001)
• Letter from Karen Rose, NTIA, to Michael Roberts, regarding registrar policy (28 September 2000)
• Letter from Jere Glover, U.S. Small Business Administration, to Mike Roberts, regarding ICANN Process (16 August 2000)
• Letter from Louis Touton to Donald Telage, COPA Commission, regardings new TLDs (8 June 2000)
• Letter from Mike Roberts to Jere Glover, regarding ICANN Process (15 May 2000)
• Letter from Mike Roberts to Howard Berman, U.S. House Judiciary Committee, regarding abuse by registrars (4 August 1999)
• Letter from Howard Berman to Mike Roberts, regarding testimony from July 28 hearing (29 July 1999)
• Letter from Esther Dyson to Becky Burr, U.S. Department of Commerce, responding to Burr's suggestions (19 July 1999)
• Letter from Esther Dyson to Tom Bliley, House Committee on Commerce, responding to Bliley's 22 June letter (8 July 1999)
• Response of ICANN to Tom Bliley (8 July 1999)
• Letter from Tom Bliley, US House Commerce Committee, to Esther Dyson, with questions regarding the privatization of DNS management (22 June 1999)
• Letter from Becky Burr, U.S. Department of Commerce, to Esther Dyson and Mike Roberts, regarding suggestions for improvement (15 June 1999)
• Letter from Esther Dyson to Becky Burr, U.S. Department of Commerce, regarding changes to articles and bylaws (23 November 1998)

U.S. Government Hearings with ICANN

• Protecting Internet Freedom: Implications of Ending U.S. Oversight of the Internet: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights and Federal Courts of the Committee on the Judiciary, US Senate (14 September 2016)
  • Read Göran Marby's testimony here
• Examining the Multistakeholder Plan for Transitioning the Internet Assigned Number Authority: Hearing before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, US Senate (24 May 2016)
• Privatizing the Internet Assigned Number Authority: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology of the Energy and Commerce Committee, US House of Representatives, 114th Cong. (17 March 2016)
• Internet Governance Progress after ICANN 53: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, US House of Representatives, 114th Cong. (8 July 2015)
  • Read more here
• Stakeholder Perspectives on the IANA Transition: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, US House of Representatives, 114th Cong. (13 May 2015)
• Stakeholder Perspectives on ICANN: the .Sucks Domain and Essential Steps to Guarantee Trust and Accountability in the Internet's Operation: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet of the Committee on the Judiciary, US House of Representatives, 114th Cong. (13 May 2015)
  • Read more here
• Preserving the Multistakeholder Model of Internet Governance: Hearing before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, US Senate, 114th Cong. (25 February 2015)
• Should the Department of Commerce Relinquish Direct Oversight Over ICANN?: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet of the Committee on the Judiciary, US House of Representatives, 113th Cong. (10 April 2014)
  • Read more here
• Ensuring the Security, Stability, Resilience, and Freedom of the Global Internet: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, US House of Representatives, 113th Cong. (2 April 2014)
• ICANN Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD) Oversight Hearing: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition, and the Internet of the Committee on the Judiciary, US House of Representatives, 112th Cong. (4 May 2011)
  • Read more here
• ICANN's Top-Level Domain Name Program: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, US House of Representatives, 112th Cong. (14 December 2011)
• ICANN's Expansion of Top Level Domains: Hearing before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, US Senate (8 December 2011)
  • Letter from Congress to ICANN following the hearing (27 December 2011)
  • Letter from Senate to ICANN following the hearing (22 December 2011)
  • Letter from Department of Commerce to ICANN before the hearing (14 and 16 June 2011)
• Expansion of Top Level Domains and its Effect on Competition: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy of the Committee on the Judiciary, US House of Representatives, 111th Cong. (23 September 2009)
• Oversight of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN): Hearing before the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, US House of Representatives, 111th Cong. (4 June 2009)
• ICANN and the WHOIS Database: Providing Access to Protect Consumers from Phishing: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit of the Committee on Financial Services, US House of Representatives, 109th Cong. (18 July 2006)
• Contracting the Internet: Does ICANN Create a Barrier to Small Business?: Hearing before the Committee on Small Business, US House of Representatives, 109th Cong. (7 June 2006)
• ICANN Internet Governance: Is it Working?: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection and Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, US House of Representatives, 109th Cong. (21 September 2006)
• Internet Governance: the Future of ICANN: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Trade, Tourism, and Economic Development of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, US Senate, 109th Cong. (20 September 2006)
• Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN): Hearing before the Subcommittee on Communications of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, US Senate, 108th Cong. (31 July 2003)
• Internet Domain Name Fraud: the U.S. Government's Role in Ensuring Public Access to Accurate WHOIS Data: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property of the Committee on the Judiciary, US House of Representatives, 108th Cong. (4 September 2003)
• ICANN Governance: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Space of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, US Senate, 107th Cong. (12 June 2002)
• Dot Kids Name Act of 2001: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, US House of Representatives, 107th Cong. (1 November 2001)
• ICANN, New gTLDs, and the Protection of Intellectual Property: Hearing before the House Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property (22 March 2001)
• ICANN Governance: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Communications of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, US Senate, 107th Cong. (14 February 2001)
• Is ICANN's New Generation of Internet Domain Name Selection Process Thwarting Competition?: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, US House of Representatives, 107th Cong. (8 February 2001)
• Internet Domain Names and Intellectual Property Rights: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual Property of the Committee on the Judiciary, US House of Representatives, 106th Cong. (28 July 1999)
• Domain Name System Privatization: Is ICANN Out of Control?: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Committee on Commerce, US House of Representatives, 106th Cong. (22 July 1999)

ICANN Board Resolutions

• Thank you to the Global Multistakeholder Community (8 November 2016)
• IANA Intellectual Property Agreements (30 September 2016)
• Services Agreement between ICANN and PTI (15 September 2016)
• IANA Naming Function Contract between ICANN and PTI (15 September 2016)
• .COM Registry Agreement Amendment (15 September 2016)
• ICANN Restated Articles of Incorporation (9 August 2016)
• Root Zone Maintainer Agreement (9 August 2016)
• PTI Articles of Incorporation (9 August 2016)
• Service Level Agreement (SLA) with RIRs for the IANA Numbering Services (27 May 2016)
• Approval of New ICANN Bylaws for IANA Stewardship Transition (27 May 2016)
• Posting of Draft Restated ICANN Articles of Incorporation for Public Comment resulting from IANA Stewardship Transition (27 May 2016)
• Posting of Draft New ICANN Bylaws for Public Comment: resulting from IANA Stewardship Transition (19 April 2016)
• IANA Stewardship Transition Proposal from ICG (10 March 2016)
• Proposal from CCWG on Enhancing ICANN Accountability (10 March 2016)
• Proposed Schedule and Process / Operational Improvements for AoC and Organizational Reviews (28 July 2015)
• SSAC Views On New gTLD Process (13 September 2012)
• Affirmation of Commitments (30 September 2009)
• Affirmation of Commitments (12 September 2009)
• WLS Negotiations with VeriSign (6 March 2004)
• New gTLDs (31 October 2003)
• Amendment to Memorandum of Understanding with Department of Commerce (12 September 2003)
• Amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding with Department of Commerce (17 September 2002)
• Amendments to Memorandum of Understanding with Department of Commerce and Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (10 September 2001)
• Contract for IANA Function (2 April 2001)
• InterNIC License and Services (6 January 2001)
• Agreements with United States Government (30 August 2000)
• Contract with U.S. Department of Commerce for IANA Function (12 January 2000)
• Agreements Among ICANN, Department of Commerce, Network Solutions (4 November 1999)
• CRADA for Management of Root Server Systems (27 May 1999)
• Registrar Accreditation Policy (4 March 1999)
• IANA Functions Agreement (17 January 1999)
• Memorandum of Understanding with Department of Commerce (21 November 1998)
• Department of Commerce transmittal letter (6 November 1998)

News & Media

• ICANN announcement:  Stewardship of IANA Functions Transitions to Global Internet Community as Contract with U.S. Government Ends (1 October 2016)
• NTIA announcement: NTIA Finds IANA Stewardship Transition Proposal Meets Criteria to Complete Privatization (9 June 2016)
• NTIA announcement: NTIA Announces Intent to Transition Key Internet Domain Name Functions (14 March 2014)
• ICANN announcement: Administrator of Domain Name System Launches Global Multistakeholder Accountability Process (14 March 2014)

Other Resources

• Internet Society, The IANA Timeline: An Extended Timeline with Citations and Commentary (January 2017)
• Peter Dengate-Thrush, Chair's Comments: Celebrating the Ending of JPA (1 October 2009)