View source for Resolution on United States Encryption Export Restrictions Exposed

The '''[[:media:9B11-Resolution_on_United_States_Encryption_Export_Restrictions_Exposed.pdf|Resolution on United States Encryption Export Restrictions]]''' was adopted by ALEC's [https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Communications_and_Technology_Task_Force Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force] at the Annual Meeting on August 12, 1999, approved by the full ALEC Board of Directors September, 1999. {{AEX2011}}

==ALEC Resolution Text==

WHEREAS, Current United States export control laws governing cryptographic products
are adversely affecting American high-tech companies; and

WHEREAS, outdated cryptographic provisions dating back to World War II and the Cold
War retard the ability of U.S. producers of cryptographic products to compete and
succeed in the global market; and

WHEREAS, the future of the Internet and electronic commerce are reliant on the
security of online transaction and a tremendous global market has for encryption
technologies has developed; and

WHEREAS, Foreign competitors of data-scrambling technology, unfettered by strict
government export controls on cryptographic products, are developing, marketing, and
selling sophisticated encryption systems well above the United States limit; and

WHEREAS, Any benefit to American law enforcement or national security realized by
American export controls on cryptographic products has been minimized by the rapid
availability of strong, robust cryptographic systems produced by non-American
companies and even by the ability to lawfully import these systems into the United
States; and

WHEREAS, The Computer Systems Policy Project estimates that if the current outdated
policy remains in effect, the cost to American companies could be up to $96 billion by the
year 2002 and the loss of over 200,000 high-skill, high-wage jobs by the year 2000; and

WHEREAS, The National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences has
concluded after exhaustive study that United States export controls on cryptography
may be causing American software and hardware companies to lose a significant share of
a rapidly growing market, with losses of at least several hundred million dollars per year;
and

WHEREAS, The current administration supports a "key recovery" system that would
force computer users to give the government access to their encryption keys, thus
allowing the federal government to monitor an individual's communications and on-line
transactions without that individual's knowledge or consent; and

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the American Legislative Exchange Council
(ALEC) strongly supports efforts to immediately relax current United States export control
laws governing cryptographic products to a level which is readily available in the global
market.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that ALEC denounces any proposal that would require the
implementation of a federally mandated "key recovery" program.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the clerk of the (House of Representatives or
Senate) transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the
United States, to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and to each
Member of Congress of the United States.


Adopted by ALEC's Telecommunications & Information Technology Task Force at the
Annual Meeting August 12, 1999. Approved by full ALEC Board of Directors September,
1999.