DEC 15, 2015 | US
The Langevin-McCaul letter is a triumph for Congressional oversight on cybersecurity
WASHINGTON — December 16, 2016 — The Langevin-McCaul letter to National Security Advisor Rice represents a common-sense, bipartisan effort to highlight concerns about how the Administration proceeds with new regulations of cybersecurity defenses. The success of the letter is a testament to the hard work and credibility of the letter’s sponsors, Congressman Jim Langevin and Congressman Michael McCaul. They recognized the urgent need for Congressional oversight to prevent the Administration from inadvertently hampering the efforts of cybersecurity professionals by imposing delays and restricting the use of the best available cybersecurity technologies.
While we strongly support the objective of preventing rogue governments from obtaining sophisticated technologies to spy on their own citizens, the Administration’s flawed proposal for implementing these provisions would undermine US national security while having no impact on the spread of surveillance technologies.
BSA | The Software Alliance joins the 125 signers of the letter in calling upon the Administration to fully consider the cybersecurity ramifications of this new regulation. We commend Congressman Langevin, Congressman McCaul, and all Members who signed the letter for their leadership in advancing our nation’s cybersecurity ecosystem.
Background to the BSA Statement:
The Langevin-McCaul letter cautions against implementing recent updates to the Wassenaar Arrangement, a 41 country, voluntary export control agreement, in a manner that would undermine the United States’ national security by regulating access to fundamental cybersecurity technologies. The regulations currently under consideration could unintentionally stifle everyday cybersecurity technologies, and this broad overreach has the potential to result in lasting damage to US cybersecurity capabilities. In just one week, the letter has attracted 125 (59 Democrat, 66 Republican) signers, including Chairs, Ranking Members, and a number of leaders from both sides of the aisle.
关于 BSA
BSA |“软件联盟”(www.bsa.org) 是全球软件行业的主要倡导者,旨在代表该行业,向政府和国际市场发声。其成员包括全球最具创新力的公司,这些公司制定的软件解决方案,不但能够刺激经济,还能提升现代生活的品质。
BSA 的总部位于华盛顿特区,其营运机构遍布 30 多个国家。BSA 凭借这些机构,率先涉足合规项目,以期促进使用合法软件、倡导制定公共政策,并以此培养技术创新能力,以及推动发展数字经济。