In October 1994, Congress took action to protect public
safety and ensure national security by enacting the Communications
Assistance for Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (CALEA), Pub. L.
No. 103-414, 108 Stat. 4279. The law further defines the
existing statutory obligation of telecommunications carriers
to assist law enforcement in executing electronic
surveillance pursuant to court order or other lawful
authorization. The objective of CALEA implementation is to preserve law
enforcement's ability to conduct lawfully-authorized electronic surveillance
while preserving public safety, the public's right to privacy, and the
telecommunications industry's competitiveness.
|