For immediate release:
Tuesday, October 1, 1996
Contact: Matt Raymond (202) 224-8150
Randall Popelka (202) 224-6137
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Montana Senator Conrad Burns today reacted
cautiously to plans by the Clinton administration to loosen
restrictions on exports of stronger encryption for computer software
and hardware. He also criticized the White House for its failure to
negotiate on the cornerstone of its proposals: that companies must
agree to "escrow" their decryption keys.
"I have no doubt that it was the pressure of Congress, high-tech
companies and privacy advocates that dragged the White House kicking
and screaming into agreeing that export restrictions should be
eased," said Burns, chief sponsor of the Pro-CODE bill, which would
loosen restrictions on encryption exports and prohibit
government-mandated key escrow. "However, I can't say I'm pleased
with a process that has all but excluded Congress and the public from
the discussion.
"The administration's insistence on key escrow as a condition of
lifting these restrictions has never been negotiable." Meanwhile,
what choice do these companies have but to yield as their global
competitiveness withers on the vine?
"This plan raises even more questions than it answers, such as, what
about the widespread availability of much stronger encryption that
which is allowed by the White House? How do we deal with rapid
changes in technology that will inevitably render the 56-bit limit
obsolete? The devil is definitely in the details.
"This debate is not over by any stretch of the imagination. The
administration has prevented Congress from weighing in on this issue
just as support was building for a legislative solution. I intend to
move forward with pro-encryption legislation in the next
Congress.
"I will also push for vigorous oversight of the administration's plan
in the Commerce Committee." The Senate Commerce Committee, of which
Burns is a member, has jurisdiction over the Commerce Department. The
administration has stated its intent to transfer export licensing
authority over encryption from the State Department to the Commerce
Department."
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