[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 30 (Thursday, February 25, 2016)]
[House]
[Page H930]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S BACKDOOR KEY TO THE IPHONE

  (Mr. POE of Texas asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Benjamin Franklin said: ``Those who 
would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, 
deserve neither liberty nor safety.''
  A Federal judge now has ordered that Apple take an unprecedented step 
developing a backdoor key for an iPhone. The software that the 
government is demanding does not exist. It would have to be created 
from scratch.
  The government wants the golden key to crack this phone. Such a key 
could be used to crack all other phones in the future. Giving a master 
key for the government to access any phone of any citizen at any time 
without their knowledge violates the right of privacy. Americans' 
constitutional right of privacy is under attack by the spying eyes of a 
powerful government.
  My legislation, H.R. 2233, End Warrantless Surveillance of Americans 
Act, specifically prohibits the government from either mandating or 
requesting that a backdoor key be installed in the private phones of 
citizens.
  Mr. Speaker, privacy must not be sacrificed on the altar of temporary 
safety and false security.
  And that is just the way it is.

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