It is time for the government to recognize that superior encryption products are already widely available and being sold by overseas competitors, and that the current controls only hurt American industry without furthering law enforcement and national security goals. The list of original co-sponsors of the bill is both large and bipartisan. Both Committees have jurisdiction over the bill. Both Rep. Lofgren and Rep. Goodlatte sit on the Judiciary Committee. Credit card numbers can be stolen, medical records can be exposed, and financial transactions can be compromised, all because of the Administration's current encryption policy.
Strong encryption protects consumers, and helps law enforcement by preventing crime on the Internet.
However, the Clinton administration, and particularly the Federal Bureau of Investigation , remain opposed to the bill. The bill is supported by a broad coalition which includes industry and privacy groups. Companies and trade groups from the computer, software, e-commerce, financial, and telecommunications industries actively support the bill. The umbrella group Americans for Computer Privacy has been organized to win passage of encryption legislation. Public interest groups which are concerned about the privacy rights of individuals are also behind the bill.