Jacking in from the Congressional Port:

[David Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

Jacking in from the Congressional Port:  "Brock N. Meeks" <brock () well sf ca us>


Washington, DC -- White House's slippery plan to salt information
highway with its home-grown encryption technology has irked at
least two members of Congress, prompting a call for congressional
hearings.


Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), chairman of the Technology and Law
Subcommittee said he would likely hold hearings "on the serious
issues raised" by Administration's announcement that it would
urge private sector to voluntarily adopt its Clipper Chip
technology.  "Basically, what this means is that the United
States Government will hold the two keys to unlock any private
communication coded with this program," Leahy said.  Citizens and
potential foreign customers aren't likely to see Clipper "as the
solution to privacy and security concerns," he said.


White House plan was called "disappointing," by Rep. Don Edwards
(D-Cal.).  "I was hoping for a more realistic policy from the
Administration," said Edwards, a former FBI agent.  "Competitors
all over the world can sell the strongest encryption technology,
but U.S. companies cannot," he said.


Leahy waded in on Administration and law enforcement claims that
Clipper would help thwart terrorist and criminal activity, saying
it was "obvious" these groups would shun Clipper enabled devices.
"Why would any sophisticated criminal or terrorist decide to use
Clipper Chip to keep their communications secret when this is the
one encryption method to which the government holds the keys?" he
asked.


Despite Leahy's misgivings, the Administration and law
enforcement agencies continue to bank on the success of Clipper
because most criminals are "just dumb," the FBI has stated
repeatedly.


The Administration's decision to keep the handcuffs on export
controls of privately developed encryption schemes also worried
the congressmen.  Leahy called it "a misstep... Why would any
foreign government want to buy American software or
telecommunications equipment containing Clipper Chip when the
U.S. government has the keys to eavesdrop on any private
communications?"


Edwards said the new policy "won't stop terrorists and drug
traffickers from acquiring encryption technology," adding he
hoped President Clinton would "look at this policy again."


The government shouldn't be in the business of mandating
particular technologies, Leahy said.  "Whatever confidence I
might have that the U.S. government will limit its use of the
decoding keys to specific and justifiable law enforcement
objectives, I doubt my confidence will be universally shared," he
said.


Meeks out...


Well, almost... Leahy's office said he *wants* to hear from the
public on the matter of holding hearings.  Any and all comments
on the viability of the program, any concerns the public has,
should be sent to Leahy immediately, a staffer said.  Leahy can
be reached at:  Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC 20510;
his phone number is 202-224-3406.