New gTLDs made news stemming from a US House of Representatives subcommittee hearing on “ICANN Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs) Oversight Hearing” and comments by Assistant Secretary for the US Department of Commerce, Larry Strickling, at the Global Internet Governance workshop at the American University in Washington.

In the House of Representative subcommittee hearing, Kurt Pritz of ICANN received tough questions and little praise in regard the new gTLD program.  Witnesses representing trademark and IP interests made the appeal to delay the launch of the new gTLDs, but didn’t present any new information to help support their arguments.  Comments by Larry Strickling in a keynote to the audience at the American University focused more on governmental concerns, namely ICANN “address(ing) the collective concerns of governments, as expressed through the Government Advisory Committee (GAC).”  He also stated “We (the US) remain committed to the ICANN model as the best way to preserve and protect the security and stability of the DNS.”

The US Department of Commerce terminated its direct oversight of ICANN in 2009 in support of a multi-stakeholder model for Internet Governance, which includes governments. The US is now just one of the countries represented by the GAC.   As such the US Government has a strong interest in improving the effectiveness of interactions between the ICANN Board and the GAC, but would likely not be in favor of any one government having veto power over ICANN initiatives.

ICANN will be meeting with the GAC on 20 May 2011 to take in final feedback.   The next version of the guidebook is due on 30 May 2011, and ICANN envisages approving the final guidebook on 20 June 2011.
References:
Speech transcript of Larry Strickling: http://www.ntia.doc.gov/presentations/2011/Strickling_GigaNet_05052011.html 
US House of Representative subcommittee hearing recording: http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/hear_05022011.html