From the Office of Senator Kerry

Thursday, June 10, 1999

WASHINGTON D.C. - U.S. Senator John F. Kerry (D-MA) today called for significant changes to U.S. export control policy for commercial encryption products.

At the Senate Commerce committee hearing Kerry announced his co-sponsorship of S. 798, the Promote Reliable On-Line Transactions to Encourage Commerce and Trade (PROTECT) Act of 1999.

Kerry said, "As the availability of encryption products in the world continues to grow, it becomes more apparent that we should loosen our grip on the export controls we impose. Maintaining heavy-handed and outdated export controls on encryption technology is only counterproductive in the new economy. For a long time we have been debating whether to relax export controls; it is now time to discuss how we can find a reasonable approach that allows US companies to compete and thrive in the global marketplace."

The PROTECT Act would decontrol the export of nearly all encryption products with a key length of 64 bits or less. (Current policy permits exports of less than 56 bit products). In addition, the legislation would provide the Secretary of Commerce with sole jurisdiction over the export of encryption products. The bill would provide mechanisms, including licensing, for the export of products greater than 64 bits. The PROTECT Act would authorize government research to create an Advanced Encryption Standard. When adopted, encryption products that meet that standard will not be subject to export controls.

Kerry continued, "We must work together find a reasonable approach that allows American companies to compete and thrive in the global marketplace."

Kerry is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Technology and a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee.