The resolution, (S. Res. 446), which Rubio submitted on for himself as well as Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) and Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. It was submitted a day after Rubio, who is seen as the top pick for the vice presidential spot on the 2012 presidential ticket, delivered a “major foreign” policy speech at the Brookings Institution think-tank. In that speech Rubio highlighted the use of social networking programs like Twitter in as a “catalyst of Democratic change” in countries around the world.
“Whereas the explosive and hugely beneficial growth of the Internet resulted not from increased government involvement but from the opening of the Internet to commerce and private sector innovation,” the resolution reads.
{mosads}”Whereas the governments of some countries that advocate radical change in the structure of Internet governance censor the information available to their citizens through the Internet, use the Internet to prevent democratization, and use the Internet as a tool of surveillance to curtail legitimate political discussion and dissent, and other countries operate telecommunications systems as state-controlled monopolies or highly regulated and highly taxed entities.”
The resolution also urges the president to foster a dialogue on the value of the Internet and free Internet use around the world as well as to “advance the values of a free Internet in the broader trade and diplomatic efforts of the United States Government.”
Rubio himself has regularly weighed in on foreign policy events such as the U.S. intervention in Libya and the future of Haiti, which has added fuel to the speculation that he is positioning himself as a someone who could add foreign policy heft to the GOP ticket. During his speech at Brookings on Wednesday, Rubio reiterated his criticism toward the Obama administration that the U.S. should have more quickly intervened in Libya to help oust Moammar Gadhafi.