FW: Internet Legislation
Norman J. Jacknis (njacknis@ix.netcom.com)
Thu, 6 Mar 1997 06:10:02 -0500
=========== forwarded message
>As you may know, Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT) yesterday introduced
>legsilation designed to relax encryption export controls inorder to
>promote privacy and security on the Internet.
>
>Senator Burns asked us to forward the attached open letter to the
>Internet community. Senator Burns, Leahy (D-VT), Wyden (D-OR) and the
>17 other co-sponsors of the Pro-CODE bill have taken a strong stand in
>support of privacy and security on the Internet. If you have not done
>so already, please take a moment to visit http://www.crypto.com to
>find out more about the bill and what you can do to help.
>
> February 27, 1997
>
> Today I am pleased to announce that I have reintroduced legislation to
> reform US encryption policy in a way that recognizes the realities of
> the global information infrastructure and the need for strong privacy
> and security protections on the Internet. The "Promotion of Commerce
> Online in the Digital Era (Pro-CODE) Act" would promote the growth of
> electronic commerce, encourage the widespread availability of strong
> privacy and security technologies for the Internet, and repeal the
> cold war-era regulations limiting the export of encryption
> technologies. The bill enjoys widespread support from both my
> Republican and Democratic colleagues and was introduced with 20
> cosponsors.
>
> As a fellow Internet user, I am excited by the vast potential of the
> Net to facilitate new forms of commerce and communication. In order
> for the Net to reach its potential as a trusted medium for personal
> communications and proprietary business transactions, however,
> Internet users must have access to strong privacy and security
> technologies. Yet for years, the federal government has pursued an
> encryption policy which has limited the availability of privacy and
> security products--leaving Internet users and businesses out in the
> cold.
>
> Last year, the Pro-CODE bill (then S. 1726) received broad bipartisan
> support in the Senate. Internet users, rallying to the cry of "My
> Lock, My Key," expressed their support for the bill in meetings
> members of Congress in live interactive chat sessions. Netizens also
> participated in the first interactive online Senate hearings and
> provided valuable testimony for the Committee on this issue.
>
> Yet almost a year after Congress entered this critical Internet policy
> debate, and despite the overwhelming call for encryption policy
> reform, the Administration remains committed to an outdated and
> unworkable approach to US Encryption policy. In November of 1996, the
> Administration announced yet another effort to reform US encryption
> policy. The proposal, which would allow the export of strong
> encryption programs only if they include government-approved
> "key-recovery" mechanisms, has met with uniform criticism from
> Internet users, privacy experts, and the computer and communications
> industry.
>
> Current export controls are serving only to limit the availability of
> privacy and security technologies for Internet users inside the US and
> disadvantage US industry on the competitive global market, while doing
> nothing to keep strong encryption out of the hands of foreign
> adversaries.
>
> By relaxing encryption export controls, the Pro-CODE bill will reform
> US encryption policy in a way that recognizes the realities of the
> information revolution and the competitive global marketplace.
>
> The Internet community has been instrumental in helping to educate my
> colleagues in the Congress about the importance of encryption policy
> reform. In the coming months I will need your help and support as
> this bill makes its way through the legislative process.
>
> As the bill moves forward, I want to invite you to take advantage of
> several online resources set up to educate the Congress and the public
> about the need for encryption policy reform. You can find out more by
> visiting my web page at http://www.senate.gov/~burns/.
>
> Thank you for your support,
>
> Conrad Burns
> United States Senator
> <Conrad_Burns@burns.senate.gov>
>
> ** THE FIGHT FOR FREE SPEECH ONLINE IS HEADED TO THE SUPREME COURT **
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