[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 38 (Monday, March 30, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H1702]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     SUPPORT THE SAFE ACT, H.R. 695

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 21, 1997, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren) is 
recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I am also here to discuss my proud 
cosponsorship of the SAFE Act. As the preceding speaker, my colleague 
from Virginia has noted, it is time, finally, for the United States to 
take the forward-thinking policy to avoid and abandon the flawed 
policies of key recovery, and to allow Americans to have complete 
protection from hackers and others who would steal and invade their 
privacy, and, in some cases, their well-being.
  Mr. Speaker, the current administration is searching for answers to 
the current encryption dilemma. As with their preceding 
administrations, they are listening, as they should, to the concerns of 
law enforcement and their needs to keep us safe from predators and 
terrorists. That is absolutely appropriate, but it is not appropriate 
to fail to take action when the policy that we have today is so 
seriously flawed.
  Mr. Speaker, I am hopeful that as we continue this dialogue, the 
American people will become more vigorous in standing up for their 
rights to privacy in the digital age and on the Internet. There are 
many things that Republicans and Democrats disagree about. Today, we 
will have most likely very vigorous, perhaps even acrimonious 
disagreements, about the way campaign finance reform has been brought 
to this floor, the limitations on debate, and really the very 
unfortunate attention that has been given to campaign finance reform, 
legitimate campaign finance reform, by the majority.
  Putting that to one side, we should, nevertheless, work together 
where we do agree, and there is broad support among both Democrats and 
Republicans for a sound encryption policy that makes sure that all of 
us have access to the strongest encryption available in the world at 
large.
  I commend my colleague, the gentleman from Virginia, Mr. Goodlatte, 
for his leadership in this effort, and look forward to resounding 
support from the entire House, and later the Senate.

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