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.