House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) introduced the National Commission on Security and Technology on Monday.
The commission was formed in the wake of the Apple’s public refusal to follow the FBI’s order to program a backdoor into the iPhone of one of the San Bernardino shooters and the widespread support the company received after the fact.
“The challenge of protecting national security and digital security simultaneously is complex. The ongoing Apple vs. FBI dispute is only a symptom of a much larger problem,” McCaul said. “But we are almost certain to see this scenario repeated unless the larger issue is addressed. Law enforcement clearly needs the ability to gain lawful access to information that can stop future attacks. I am proud to partner with Senator Warner on this initiative and I urge our colleagues in both chambers to quickly establish this Commission so we may effectively address this challenge for law enforcement now and in the future.”
The formation of the McCaul-Warner Commission was first announced in an op-ed published by the Washington Post on December 28.
“As someone who spent nearly two decades in the tech industry, I recognize that there are no easy or simple solutions to the challenges posed by the growing use of secure technologies,” Warner said. “The same tools that allow terrorists and criminals to evade detection by American intelligence and law enforcement are also used each day by Americans who rely upon secure technologies to safely shop online, communicate with friends and family, and run their businesses.”
The purpose of the commission is to bring together stakeholders from across law enforcement and the technology industry to find a way to protect digital and civil liberties while also not allow encrypted technology to aid abet terrorism.
“I believe that we can strike an appropriate balance that protects Americans’ privacy, American security, and American competitiveness, but we won’t achieve that while all sides continue to talk past each other,” Warner said. “What we don’t want is a solution that could simply drive terrorists to use software and hardware based overseas, pushing their communications even farther out of reach for American law enforcement and intelligence. Chairman McCaul has been a solid partner in this initiative, and I appreciate the support for this proposal from colleagues in both parties and on both sides of Capitol Hill.”