[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 39 (Tuesday, March 31, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E531]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           THE AMERICAN LEGION OPPOSES H.R. 695, THE SAFE ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GERALD B.H. SOLOMON

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 31, 1998

  Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, as you know, every major police 
organization in the United States, representing millions of Americans 
strongly oppose H.R. 695. Now our veterans have joined their efforts to 
defeat the bill. I have included in the Record today a letter from The 
American Legion which outlines their opposition to H.R. 695, the Safe 
Act.
  The American Legion concurs that there are some provisions in the 
original H.R. 695 that can and will be detrimental to our national 
security and law enforcement efforts and will advise its membership of 
4 million to the bill's shortcomings.

                                          The American Legion,

                                Washington, DC, February 25, 1998.
     Hon. Gerald B. Solomon,
     U.S. House of Representatives, Rayburn House Office Building, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Representative Solomon: Thank you for advising me of 
     your concerns with pending encryption legislation. After 
     reviewing the legislation and reading testimony by respected 
     authorities in law enforcement and national security matters, 
     The American Legion concurs that there are some provisions in 
     the original H.R. 695 that can and will be detrimental to our 
     national security and law enforcement efforts.
       It is our contention that the Department of Commerce should 
     not be making decisions that impact so strongly on our 
     country's national security. That responsibility should be 
     left to other agencies of the federal government who have 
     more expertise in electronic intelligence technology. The 
     language in the amended version of H.R. 695 (Section 3) that 
     was developed by the House Committees on National Security 
     and Intelligence appears to provide a degree of limitation 
     and control in this sensitive area and is a measure we can 
     support.
       The American Legion will be conducting its annual 
     Legislative Conference at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Capitol 
     Hill, March 22-24. I will ask our Legislative staff to invite 
     representatives of the Justice Department to speak on this 
     matter. We shall also voice our concerns to Members of 
     Congress when we make our annual visitation on March 24.
       Thank you for alerting us of this situation. We will 
     continue to monitor this matter and will also advise our 
     membership of the pending legislation and its shortcomings.
           Sincerely,
                                                Anthony G. Jordan,
                                               National Commander.

     

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