With strong bipartisan support, the House voted on Tuesday to approve two bills authored by U.S. Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL).
The Domain Openness Through Continued Oversight Matters (DOTCOM) Act protects and preserves the ability of Congress to oversee and control the transfer of the Internet’s critical Domain Name System (DNS).
The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Modernization Act cleans up the 40-year-old regulations on toxic substances, offering consumers more confidence that U.S.-made chemicals — and the products that contain them — are safe to use.
“The DNS is so critical to the day-to-day operation of the global Internet that management of the system should not be entrusted to government bureaucrats in Washington or elsewhere,” Shimkus said. “My DOTCOM Act ensures that the upcoming transfer out of U.S. government hands is done responsibly, with necessary and meaningful congressional oversight to protect the free and open Internet.”
Discussing the importance of the TSCA Modernization Act, Shimkus said, “We think this system sets a new standard for quality regulation. Of course, we want to be protected from harm, but we do not want needless, expensive regulation. Consumers want safe choices, not no choice at all. We are on the brink of setting up a common-sense approach to protecting people from unsafe chemical exposure that will become the standard of the world. We want our constituents to be safe, and we want markets to work. This bill delivers both.”
Both bills await consideration by the Senate.