WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet, today conducted a hearing to examine the impact of global internet governance on U.S. businesses.

In his opening remarks, Wicker highlighted the growing impact of data localization rules, which govern how data can be processed in a certain territory or jurisdiction.

“The global nature of the internet means that the impact and power of these laws goes beyond a jurisdiction’s borders,” Wicker said. “U.S. companies are compelled to change business models or alter operations to achieve compliance in foreign markets, and they are experiencing disruptions in their own domestic operations as well.  The result is less job creation, less investment, and less innovation in the United States.”

As chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, Wicker has been an advocate for global cooperation on issues that cross international borders. Wicker called this action “critically important” to maintaining U.S. leadership and innovation in internet technologies.

The witnesses at today’s Senate Commerce subcommittee hearing included:

• The Honorable Michael Chertoff, Former Secretary of Homeland Security and Co-Founder and Executive Chairman, The Chertoff Group;
• Mr. James Bladel, Vice President of Global Policy, GoDaddy;
• Dr. Roslyn Layton, Ph.D., Visiting Scholar, The American Enterprise Institute;
• Mr. Christopher Painter, Commissioner, Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace; and
• Ms. Denise Zheng, Vice President, Policy, The Business Roundtable.