Washington – Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-09) today announced that he is an original cosponsor on bipartisan legislation, authored by U.S. House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (TX-10), to establish the McCaul-Warner Commission on Digital Security. The bipartisan Commission will be tasked with developing recommendations for maintaining privacy and digital security while also finding ways to keep criminals and terrorists from exploiting technologies to evade justice.
U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) has introduced companion legislation in the Senate to establish this Commission.
“Congress’ highest priority is the security of our country. We must do everything possible to fight terrorism and bring criminals to justice. This includes consulting with national security experts and taking rational action that strengthens our country and responds to the threats and risks to our cyber security without making us more vulnerable. Given the complexities of ‘exceptional access,’ our security is best served by a thorough analysis and policy debate that includes lawmakers, national security experts, law enforcement, technology stakeholders, and privacy advocates,” said Rep. McNerney. “That is why I am proud to co-sponsor legislation calling for the creation of a Commission on Digital Security. Recent events and the fast pace that technology advances in today’s world illustrate the need for our country to engage in this policy discussion on privacy and national security.”
The Commission will bring together leaders and experts from law enforcement, technology companies, national security, the privacy community, global commerce and economy, and others to examine the intersection of digital technology and national security. The Commission will include 16 members. House and Senate majority and minority leadership will be the appointing authority to the Commission.
The Commission will have one year from the date of its initial meeting to submit a final report to Congress. The recommendations and findings in the report must be approved by at least 12 of the 16 voting members.
The McCaul-Warner Commission on Digital Security was introduced with the following original House cosponsors: Jim Langevin (D-RI-02); Pat Meehan(R-PA-07); Suzan Delbene (D-WA-01); Mike Bishop (R-MI-08); Ted Lieu (D-CA-33); Will Hurd (R-TX-23); Kathleen Rice (D-NY-04); Blake Farenthold (R-TX-27); Eric Swalwell (D-CA-15); Dan Donovan (R-NY-11); Jerry McNerney (D-CA-09); Barbara Comstock (R-VA-10); Mimi Walters (R-CA-45); Ryan Costello (R-PA-06); Dave Reichert (R-WA-08).
More information on the legislation is available here.
Last December, Rep. McNerney co-authored an opinion piece in The Hill that discussed concerns with “exceptional access” – the ability to unlock encrypted data on devices made by companies such as Google and Apple.
###
Rep. Jerry McNerney proudly serves the constituents of California’s 9th Congressional District that includes portions of San Joaquin, Contra Costa, and Sacramento Counties. For more information on Rep. McNerney’s work, follow him on Facebook and on Twitter @RepMcNerney.
