********* Date: Tue, 8 Oct 1996 17:54:52 -0500 To: fight-censorship-announce@vorlon.mit.edu From: declan@well.com (Declan McCullagh) Subject: Not content with the CDA, Sen. Exon derails Pro-CODE When the White House wanted to derail pro-encryption legislation, they knew where to turn: to the infamous author of the even more infamous Communications Decency Act. Last month Sen. Jim Exon (D-Nebraska) wrote the attached letter to Sen. Pressler, chair of the commerce committee, days before the ProCODE pro-crypto bill would have cleared its last hurdle in committee then moved to the floor of the Senate for a vote. Because of Exon's threatened "several amendments" that would defang the bill, the markup never happened. Thanks to Exon, it didn't have a chance. But don't blame the retiring senator from Nebraska. Not only are your electrons wasted, he's not the true culprit. It was the White House, in thrall to the Justice Department: Gore advisor Greg Simon made the calls to Exon's office that prompted this letter to Pressler. -Declan http://fight-censorship.dementia.org/top/ Background: http://www.hotwired.com/muckraker/96/36/index4a.html ****** September 9, 1996 The Honorable Larry Pressler Chairman Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee 243 Russell Senate Office Building United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senator Pressler: I understand that the Senate Commerce Committee may have a markup this week to consider the so-called Pro-CODE computer encryption bill. As you know, the computer industry has had a series of high-level discussions with the President, Vice President, and the government's national security experts. I am hopeful that these discussions will produce substantial and meaningful reform in the current export regime for encryption software. Given the national security and law enforcement implications of the proposed legislation, to rush into a mark-up before these concerns are resolved would be a mistake. If the measure is taken up on Thursday, I would expect that there would be several amendments. With best wishes, Sincerely, Jim Exon United States Senator cc The Honorable Fritz Hollings ###