Attached below is a Reuters article on how the House Commerce committee is about to approve an amendment banning the distribution of encryption products without a government backdoor. The Commerce committee would then join the Intelligence committee, which approved a similar measure last week. Late this evening some lobbyists called me to promise some good news tomorrow, but momentum is clearly against them. It's unclear whether that would happen this year or not. So much for the millions of dollars industry wasted on crypto-lobbying.
Civil liberties are anti-majoritarian, and usually unpopular, by their very nature.
I can't give you any definitive answer on that. They have to recognize that our committee is prepared to accept my amendment. The Intelligence Committee has already passed an amendment unanimously. The National Security Committee passed an amendment 45-1. At least it was in our committee.