Future Caucus Members Unite Behind Rep. Yoder’s Email Privacy Act
February 7, 2017
Recently, members of Congress in the bipartisan Congressional Future Caucus helped advance the Email Privacy Act, a bill calling on elected officials to implement safeguards against warrantless private email searches, to the Senate.
Recently, members of Congress in the bipartisan Congressional Future Caucus helped advance the Email Privacy Act, a bill calling on elected officials to implement safeguards against warrantless private email searches, to the Senate. The Act calls on government to reestablish an expectation of email privacy, and requires agencies to obtain a search warrant in order to access citizens’ email communications from a service provider.
The bill was reintroduced by Future Caucus Member Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-KS) and Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO), and was cosponsored by several Future Caucus members, including Reps. Will Hurd (R-TX), Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Carlos Curbelo (R-FL), Derek Kilmer (D-WA), and Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ). Previous iterations of the Act have been very successful in the House – last year, the Act received over 300 cosponsors and was passed unanimously by the House.
“After the unanimous passage of our bill last year, I see no reason why we can’t get this done right away,” Rep. Yoder offered. “It’s simple, in 2017 if the federal government wants to access Americans’ digital content, it must get a warrant.”
Numerous representatives shared their praise online following the Yes vote:
Tonight, the House sent a strong message to the American people that their privacy matters.
WATCH—>https://t.co/zNeNeihV8X— Rep. Kevin Yoder (@RepKevinYoder) February 6, 2017
#EmailPrivacyAct makes common sense & long overdue updates to the ECPA to protect Americans’ constitutional right to privacy
— Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiPress) February 7, 2017
The ECPA was written in 1986–I look forward to supporting this bill to make sure our laws keep pace with 21st Century technologies.
— Rep. Elise Stefanik (@RepStefanik) February 6, 2017
✅ #BREAKING: House votes unanimously to pass the #EmailPrivacyAct – bringing #ECPA into the 21st Century! https://t.co/fG52UCg3Hs pic.twitter.com/5vkrZTr8m0
— House Judiciary ⚖ (@HouseJudiciary) February 6, 2017
Wow! The last time email privacy laws were updated,computers looked like this: The #EmailPrivacyAct brings these laws into the 21st century. pic.twitter.com/Q0OAntq7dN
— Rep. Jason Smith (@RepJasonSmith) February 7, 2017
Email Privacy Act passed the House! Full statement here: https://t.co/dVtVwX3lf1 pic.twitter.com/eb9V8reNE0
— Rep. Jared Polis (@RepJaredPolis) February 6, 2017
Read more:
H.R.387 – 115th Congress (2017-2018): Email Privacy Act
Summary of H.R.387 – 115th Congress (2017-2018): Email Privacy Act
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