VTW: Senate attacks Clinton encryption export policy

["Shabbir J. Safdar" <shabbir@vtw.org>]

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__     _________        __	
\ \   / /_   _\ \      / /	Voters Telecommunications Watch
 \ \ / /  | |  \ \ /\ / / 	        (vtw@vtw.org)
  \ V /   | |   \ V  V /  		 May 2, 1996
   \_/    |_|    \_/\_/   	Redistribute only until 5/28/96

	SENATORS FIRE BROADSIDE SALVO AT CLINTON ADMINISTRATION'S
	    HEINOUS AND ANTIQUATED ENCRYPTION EXPORT POLICIES

      Please widely redistribute this document with this banner intact
			    until May 28, 1996
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CONTENTS
	The Latest News
	Chronology of the 1996 Crypto Bills
	For More Information

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THE LATEST NEWS

Today, a core contingent of the US Senate proposed legislation that
would free public domain software such as Phil Zimmerman's PGP (Pretty
Good Privacy), allow for the export of products that have competitive
encryption abroad, and limit the government's ability to propose
another Clipper-style standard.

The latest proposal, sponsored by Sen. Burns (R-MT) is the third in a series
of bills this year that blatantly attack the Clinton Administration's
policies of restricting the export of encryption that is already found
outside the United States.  Text of the legislation is now available on
http://www.crypto.com/ and http://www.vtw.org/ as soon as we get it.

In another bold move, Senators Conrad Burns (R-MT) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
have scheduled online chats to discuss this legislation with the people
who understand the issue the best: the net community.  As a part of
the Whistlestop96 campaign by VTW and CDT (Center for Democracy and
Technology) to bring members of Congress in touch with the net community 
during the 1996 campaigns, Senators Burns and Leahy will be attending
live online chat sessions on HotWired and America Online.  The schedule
as currently available is:

Sen. Burns
	America Online, News Room auditorium: Monday May 6, 9pm EST
	Hotwired: Monday May 13, 9pm EST

Sen. Leahy
	America Online: date not yet available
	Hotwired: date not yet available

In addition, volunteers have begun maintaining a resource page at
http://www.crypto.com/ with a corresponding mailing list for encryption
policy news.  You can subscribe to it from the WWW page http://www.crypto.com/
or by sending mail to majordomo@panix.com.

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CHRONOLOGY OF THE 1996 ENCRYPTION BILLS

May 2, '96	Bi-partisan group of Senators introduce PRO-CODE Act, which
		would free public-domain encryption software (such as PGP)
		for export, free much commercial encryption for export, and
		reduce the government's ability to push Clipper proposals
		down the throats of an unwilling public.  Original sponsors
		include: Senators Burns (R-MT), Dole (R-KS), Faircloth (R-NC),
		Leahy (D-VT), Murray (D-WA), Nickles (R-OK), Pressler (R-SD),
		and Wyden (D-OR).

Mar 5, '96	Sen. Leahy (D-VT) and Rep. Goodlatte (R-VA) introduce
		bills to liberalize cryptography exports.  Cosponsoring
		this legislation on the Senate side at Sen. Burns (R-MT)
		and Sen. Murray (D-WA).  On the House side are the
		following cosponsors:  DeLay, Campbell, Eshoo, Moorhead,
		Doolittle, Barr, Ewing, Mica, Everett, Bono, Lofgren, and
		McKeon.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ENCRYPTION

Encryption Policy Resource Page: http://www.crypto.com/
Voters Telecommunications Watch: http://www.vtw.org/ 
Internet Privacy Coalition: http://www.privacy.org/

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