From: Voters Telecommunications Watch <shabbir@vtw.org>
Date: Sun, 19 May 1996 06:50:21 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Crypto-News: Congress tells Clinton "Dump key escrow/Clipper schemes" (5/17/96)
Message-ID: <199605171739.NAA29941@panix3.panix.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


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             TWENTY-SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
        URGE CLINTON TO ABANDON KEY ESCOW AND "IMMEDIATELY LIBERALIZE
             EXPORT CONTROLS ON ENCRYPTION PROGRAMS AND PRODUCTS" 

                           Date: May 17, 1996

         URL:http://www.crypto.com/            crypto-news@panix.com
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Table of Contents
        News
        Text of letter from House members to President Clinton
        Text of press release from Rep. Goodlatte
        How to receive crypto-news

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NEWS

Today a band of twenty-seven House members signed a letter to President
Clinton urging him to abandon key escrow schemes, and immediately liberalize
export controls on encryption programs and products.

The letter argues that "a key escrow approach will not adequately address
security concerns", citing security as a "prerequisite to exploiting
the potential of the Global Information Infrastructure."

Rep. Goodlatte led many of the signatories on the letter to introduce and
cosponsor H.R. 3011, the Security and Freedom through Encryption (SAFE) Act"
earlier this year, which liberalizes export controls on encryption products.

Copies of the letter to the President, the press release, and H.R. 3011
can be found on the Encryption Policy Resource Page at http://www.crypto.com/

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TEXT OF LETTER FROM HOUSE MEMBERS TO PRESIDENT CLINTON

             Congress of the United States Washington, DC 20515

May 15, 1996


The Honorable William J. Clinton
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

 We are writing to ask you not to proceed with your Administration's key
escrow encryption policy proposal and instead to immediately liberalize
export controls on non-key escrow encryption programs and products.

 Many of us have sponsored H.R. 3011, the "Security and Freedom
Though Encryption (SAFE) Act" which would ensure the continued
ability of Americans to use and sell good encryption and would permit
the export of generally available software with encryption capabilities
and other such software and hardware under license when certain
conditions are met.  We understand that the Administration has developed
a key escrow encryption proposal and is not at this time willing to ease
export restrictions on encryption programs and products which are widely
available from domestic and foreign companies and the Internet.

 We share the concerns of a wide range of businesses and privacy interests
that a key escrow approach will not adequately address security concerns.
The ability of companies and individuals to ensure that the information they
send over communications and computer networks is secure is a prerequisite
to exploiting the potential of the Global Information Infrastructure.  For
example, U.S. small businesses are beginning to harness the Internet to enter
foreign markets.  The Internet in effect lowers the barriers to entry for
these companies.  But they will not be able to rely on the Internet if their
information is not secure.

 We also have serious concerns about the impact of the Administration's
policy on the U.S. economy and job creation.  (Indeed, it is our strong
belief the U.S. economic interests must be a primary consideration in
encryption policy discussions with other countries, the OECD, and in
other forums.  It is not clear that this has been the case in the
discussions held up to this point).

 A recent report entitled "A Study of the International Market for
Computer Software With Encryption" prepared by the U.S. Department of
Commerce and the National Security Agency indicated that U.S. companies
will lose market share given the availability of stronger encryption
products overseas.  The Computer Systems Policy Project estimates that
unless the U.S.  relaxes out-of-date export controls, the U.S.
technology industry will lose $60 billion in revenues and 200,000 jobs by
the year 2000.
        
 As Congress begins to consider H.R. 3011 we would greatly appreciate knowing
whether the Administration plans to publish a final rule implementing a key
escrow encryption proposal or, alternatively, will relax export controls on
encryption programs and products which do not have a key escrow feature.

                                        Sincerely,


Tom Campbell          Bob Goodlatte
Anna Eshoo            Eliot Engel
Zoe Lofgren           Bob Barr
Carlos Moorhead       Patricia Schroeder
Barney Frank          Sam Gejdenson
Howard Coble          Rick Boucher
Fred Heineman         Sonny Bono
Vernon Ehlers         Randy Cunningham
Charlie Norwood       Randy Tate
Donald Manzullo       Helen Chenoweth
Thomas Davis          Roscoe Bartlett
Sam Farr              Ken Calvert
Linda Smith           Joseph Moakley
Lynn Woolsey

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TEXT OF PRESS RELEASE FROM REP. GOODLATTE

NEWS FROM:  Congressman Bob Goodlatte
Virginia's 6th District
123 Cannon HOB
Washington, D.C. 25515
Phone: (202) 225-5431

DATE:  May 16, 1996

CONTACT:  Doug Clark  202-225-5431


REP. GOODLATTE ASKS PRESIDENT NOT TO PROCEED WITH ENCRYPTION POLICY

Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), lead sponsor of S.A.F.E., the Security and 
Freedom Through Encryption Act, was joined by Tom Campbell (R-CA), Zoe 
Lofgren (D-CA), Anne Eshoo (D-CA), Bob Barr (R-GA), Eliot Engle (D-NY), and 
a bipartisan group of 21 of their colleagues in the House in writing 
President Clinton asking him not to proceed with his Administration's key 
escrow encryption policy proposal and instead to immediately liberalize 
export controls on non-key escrow encryption programs and products.

&quot;I have received recent information that the Administration is 
circulating yet another version of a key escrow proposal for comments 
from selected individuals.  In my opinion this proposal is a non-starter and 
will not do.  It's just a back door approach for more big government 
intrusion into every American's privacy,&quot; said Goodlatte.

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