Proposed Amendment to the SAFE Bill
by Congressman Ben Gilman (R-NY)

Drafted on July 21, 1997

AMENDMENT TO H.R. 695,
AS AMENDED BY THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC POLICY AND TRADE

Add the following at the end of the bill:

SEC.5. PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN ACTIVITIES.

(a) PROHIBITION. - (1)(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act or any amendment made by this Act, it shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture, distribute, sell, or import any product within the United States that can be used to encrypt communications or information if the product does not permit the real-time decryption of such encrypted communications or information.

(B) Any person who violates subparagraph (A) shall be subject to the civil penalties provided under the Export Administration Act of 1979 for violations under that Act.

(2) In the event that a violation of paragraph (1)(A) prevents the real-time decryption by authorized law enforcement agencies of such encrypted communications or information that-

(A) has been lawfully intercepted or seized by authorized law enforcement agencies, and

(B) threatens the public safety or national security of the United States, or impedes such law enforcement agencies' ability to combat serious criminal activity within the United States, including espionage, terrorism, illicit narcotics trafficking, kidnapping, violent crime that involves the potential for loss of human life, or other criminal activity,

the civil penalty for such violation shall be $100,000.

(b) ENFORCEMENT. - (1) BY SECRETARY OF COMMERCE.-The Secretary of Commerce shall exercise the authorities the Secretary has under the Export Administration Act of 1979 to enforce this section.

(2) REGULATIONS.-The Secretary of Commerce, with the concurrence of the Attorney General, shall issue regulations, not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of the Act, to carry out this section.

(c) DEFINITIONS. - The terms used in this section have the meanings given those terms in section 117(g) of the Export Administration Act of 1979.


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