CDT | Senator Burns's letter to the Internet Community, 2/27/97


To: jseiger@cdt.org
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 1997 18:32:48 -0500
From: Conrad Burns 
Subject: An Open Letter to the Internet Community from Senator Burns

     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     reform, the Administration remains committed to an outdated and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