However, while all governments have access to membership in the GAC, the U.S. government arguably has had more influence over ICANN and the DNS than other governments by virtue of the IANA functions contract with ICANN. NTIA Intent to Transition Stewardship of the DNS

On March 14, 2014, NTIA announced its intention to transition its stewardship role and procedural authority over key domain name functions to the global Internet multistakeholder community. With NTIA having the option of extending the contract for up to two two-year periods through September 30, 2019, NTIA announced on August 17, 2015, that it will extend the IANA functions contract through September 30, 2016. As a first step, NTIA asked ICANN to convene interested global Internet stakeholders to develop a proposal to achieve the transition. NTIA has stated that it will not accept any transition proposal that would replace the NTIA role with a government-led or an intergovernmental organization solution. On March 10, 2016, the ICANN Board formally accepted the IANA Stewardship Transition proposal and the Enhancing ICANN Accountability report. The Board formally transmitted the transition and accountability plans to NTIA for approval. On June 9, 2016, NTIA issued its IANA Stewardship Transition Proposal Assessment Report . Having received the August 12, 2016, notification from ICANN that it had completed the implementation tasks associated with the IANA transition plan, NTIA notified ICANN on August 16, 2016 that "barring any significant impediment, NTIA intends to allow the IANA functions contract to expire as of October 1." While the U.S. government has no statutory authority over ICANN or the DNS, Congress does have legislative and budgetary authority over NTIA, which is seeking to relinquish its contractual authority over the IANA functions. 113-176 ), the committee urged DOD to
seek an agreement through the IANA transition process, or in parallel to it, between the United States and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers and the rest of the global Internet stakeholders that the .mil domain will continue to be afforded the same generic top level domain status after the transition that it has always enjoyed, on a par with all other country-specific domains. Specifically, the report must contain the final transition proposal and a certification by NTIA that the proposal:
supports and enhances the multistakeholder model of Internet governance; maintains the security, stability, and resiliency of the Internet domain name system; meets the needs and expectations of the global customers and partners of IANA services; maintains the openness of the Internet; and does not replace the role of NTIA with a government-led or intergovernmental organization solution. On May 24, 2016, the House Appropriations Committee approved the FY2017 Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations act ( H.R. 5393 ). The committee continued seeking to prohibit NTIA from relinquishing authority over IANA in FY2017. Should the NTIA Relinquish Its Authority? Congress is assessing NTIA's evaluation of the transition plan and evaluating the transition plan itself. As the Internet expands and becomes more pervasive throughout the world in all aspects of modern society, the question of how it should be governed becomes more pressing, with national governments recognizing an increasing stake in ICANN policy decisions, especially in cases where Internet DNS policy intersects with national laws and interests. While ICANN does not "control" the Internet, how it is ultimately governed may set an important precedent in future policy debates—both domestically and internationally—over how the Internet might be governed, and what role governments and intergovernmental organizations should play.
Currently, the U.S. government retains limited authority over the Internet's domain name system, primarily through the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) functions contract between the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). By virtue of the IANA functions contract, the NTIA exerts a legacy authority and stewardship over ICANN, and arguably has more influence over ICANN and the domain name system (DNS) than other national governments. Currently the IANA functions contract with NTIA expires on September 30, 2016. However, NTIA has the flexibility to extend the contract for any period through September 2019.
On March 14, 2014, NTIA announced the intention to transition its stewardship role and procedural authority over key Internet domain name functions to the global Internet multistakeholder community. To accomplish this transition, NTIA asked ICANN to convene interested global Internet stakeholders to develop a transition proposal. NTIA stated that it would not accept any transition proposal that would replace the NTIA role with a government-led or an intergovernmental organization solution.
For two years, Internet stakeholders were engaged in a process to develop a transition proposal that will meet NTIA's criteria. On March 10, 2016, the ICANN Board formally accepted the multistakeholder community's transition plan and transmitted that plan to NTIA for approval. On June 9, 2016, NTIA announced its determination that the transition plan meets NTIA's criteria, that the plan is approved, and that the transition process can proceed. Having received notification from ICANN that it had completed implementation tasks associated with the transition plan, NTIA notified ICANN on August 16, 2016, that barring any significant impediment, NTIA intends to allow the IANA functions contract to expire as of October 1, 2016.
Since NTIA's announcement of its intention to relinquish its authority over IANA, concerns have risen in Congress over the proposed transition. Critics worry that relinquishing U.S. authority over Internet domain names may offer opportunities for either hostile foreign governments or intergovernmental organizations, such as the United Nations, to gain undue influence over the Internet. On the other hand, supporters argue that this transition completes the necessary evolution of Internet domain name governance toward the private sector, and will ultimately support and strengthen the multistakeholder model of Internet governance.
Meanwhile, legislation has been introduced in the 114th Congresses which seeks to prevent, delay, or impose conditions or additional scrutiny on the transition. Of particular note, Section 534 of H.R. 5393, the FY2017 Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations Act, would continue to prohibit NTIA from using funds to relinquish its authority over IANA in FY2017.
The proposed transition could have a significant impact on the future of Internet governance. National governments are recognizing an increasing stake in ICANN and DNS policy decisions, especially in cases where Internet DNS policy intersects with national laws and interests related to issues such as intellectual property, cybersecurity, privacy, and Internet freedom. How ICANN and the Internet domain name system are ultimately governed may set an important precedent in future policy debates—both domestically and internationally—over how the Internet should be governed, and what role governments and intergovernmental organizations should play.