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H.R.4342 / 113th Congress

DOTCOM Act of 2014

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 546.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Mar 27, 2014

Domain Openness Through Continued Oversight Matters Act of 2014 or the DOTCOM Act of 2014 - Prohibits the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information from relinquishing or agreeing to any proposal relating to the relinquishment of the responsibility of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) over Internet domain name system functions (including the authoritative root zone file, Internet Assigned Numbers Authority functions, and related root zone management functions) until the Comptroller General (GAO), within one year after the NTIA receives a relinquishment proposal developed in a process convened by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) at the request of the NTIA, submits a report to Congress regarding the role of the NTIA with respect to the Internet domain name system.

Requires such GAO report to include: (1) advantages and disadvantages of such relinquishment of NTIA responsibility; (2) any principles or criteria that the NTIA sets for relinquishment proposals, as well as an analysis of each proposal received by the NTIA; (3) the processes used by the NTIA and any other federal agencies for evaluating proposals; (4) any national security concerns; and (5) a definition of "multistakeholder model" as used by the NTIA with respect to Internet policymaking and governance.

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Who introduced it

Rep. Shimkus, John [R-IL-15] · R–IL

Committees

  • Energy and Commerce Committee
28 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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  1. Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 546.

  2. Reported by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 113-715.

  3. Reported by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 113-715.

  4. Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

  5. Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

  6. Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

  7. Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.

  8. Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

  9. Introduced in House

  10. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

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Related bills identified by Congress.gov

Source last updated: Aug 12, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Objective

Analyze H.R.4342 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Progressive lens

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Institutions and government scope

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Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

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