[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 40 (Wednesday, April 1, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E542]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


               THE SAFE ACT JEOPARDIZES ISRAEL'S SECURITY

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                        HON. GERALD B.H. SOLOMON

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 1, 1998

  Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, as you know, approval of the SAFE ACT, 
(H.R. 695) without key recovery will damage America's intelligence 
gathering capability. This is the reason the National Security and 
Intelligence Committees strongly oppose the bill.
  When terrorist nations or terrorist organizations communicate we now 
possess the capability to intercept and decode those messages. However, 
if the SAFE ACT becomes law our country will lose this capability. 
Approval of this bill would have grave consequences on Israel. First, 
since the bill effectively eliminates export controls on encryption 
technology it will weaken our ability to collect intelligence and as a 
result devalue the intelligence we share. Secondly, making unrestricted 
encryption technology available to terrorist organizations would 
jeopardize Israel's own intelligence capability.
  When questioned about the effects of H.R. 695 (The SAFE ACT) General 
Meir Dagan, Advisor to the Israeli Prime Minister on Counter Terrorism 
stated, ``making unbreakable encryption software available would be the 
equivalent of shooting ourselves with our own gun!'' And Major General 
David Ivry, Advisor to Israel's Minister of Defense said that, ``we 
would encourage all of our friends in the United States to oppose the 
bill.''
  The proponents of this bill maintain that our enemies and Israel's 
enemies will eventually possess encryption technology. Even if true, it 
fails to explain why we should rush to place this technology in the 
hands of our enemies. Please give the United States, our allies and our 
friends the time to develop a strategy and countermeasures to address 
these new technologies by opposing the SAFE ACT.

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