From the Law Journal Extra

A federal judge has given the National Science Foundation approval to give out money from a special $60 million fund for next-generation Internet research, Law Journal Extra reports.

The money comes from Internet domain-registration fees charged since 1995. NSF, in partnership with Network Solutions Inc., has been charging fees for domain name registration. Part of NSF's fees went to a fund to support research in advanced Internet technology.

The fund had been challenged in court as an illegal tax not specifically authorized by Congress. A federal judge ruled against this argument because Congress passed a law retroactively authorizing the fee.

Because the judge's ruling likely will be appealed, NSF is not "running out to spend the money," spokeswoman Beth Gaston says.

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