Freshman Senator Marco Rubio has already demonstrated his leadership in the U.S. Senate; now he's now taking the lead on global issues that have a very real effect at home.
A couple weeks ago Mr. Rubio, along with Senator McCaskill and a bi-partisan group of co-sponsoring senators, introduced a resolution that if approved would demonstrate the U.S. government's commitment to Internet freedom by opposing the International Telecommunications Union (ITU)--a small United Nations agency focused on information and communications technology--and some countries' efforts to impose international regulations dictating how the Internet is to be operated.
Those who prefer top-down governance and a heavy hand of government, such as Russia and China, are on the march to change the "rules" of the Internet. That is, many countries want more control over how the Internet operates, and how you operate on the Internet. They argue that the U.N. should have greater control-the same U.N. that in 1999 recommended that each email be taxed and the money given to help developing nations.
Passing the resolution-which is a "sense of Congress," a device used to show the prevailing opinion-would demonstrate that a bipartisan majority of Congress wants the global Internet to be free from government controls and continue following a multi-stakeholder model-and that the president's administration should work to ensure that outcome.
The House of Representatives has already voted on and passed a similar resolution, 414-0. The vote was unanimous, and for good reason. In a world that seems increasingly filled with uncertainties, especially amongst those things that used to seem so certain, a takeover of Internet management, or network management, by an international body under rules driven by a foreign country, is not only alarming but damaging to U.S. freedoms. Limiting the openness of the Internet, and hence the desire of all individuals to continue taking part in the Internet revolution, ultimately costs jobs and the economic freedom of those here and abroad.
Even as the number of working days dwindles in the Senate, this resolution should get a high profile and absolute priority. While some issues seem inherently political, and others beg to be used as a "wedge issue," the U.S. should take a stand with other countries to thwart authoritarian regimes from diminishing Internet freedom.