With CISPA cybersecurity bill on deck, Justin Amash reiterates privacy concerns
Zane McMillin
MichiganLive
4/15/2013
U.S. Rep. Justin Amash has reiterated his opposition to a cybersecurity bill as the House of Representatives prepares to consider the controversial measure.
Amash, R-Cascade Township,wrote on Facebook he would vote against the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, or CISPA, because of overriding privacy concerns.
A message was left seeking comment from a spokesman for Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland, though Huizenga indicated earlier this year he was “comfortable” with CISPA.
CISPA, sponsored by Michigan Rep. Mike Rogers of Brighton, is on the House’s docket for Wednesday, according to the official House schedule.
Critics have called the legislation, which seeks to streamline the sharing of data between private corporations targeted by cyberattacks and the federal government, a serious overreach of government power.
On his Facebook, Amash wrote he would oppose CISPA when it is brought to a vote.
“The bill grants corporations and other entities broad immunity to share your personal and confidential data (e.g., e-mails) with the government,” Amash wrote. “CISPA overrides contracts and even federal and state privacy laws.”…
The article continues at MichiganLive.
Related: CISPA Shouldn’t Infringe on Freedom of Contract
I’ve long argued CISPA is a good idea, given that online we are at war with hostile foreign powers attacking our government and our commerce. However that doesn’t mean the bill doesn’t have issues that should be addressed in the normal legislative process. In the following post, Berin Szoka of TechFreedom and Ryan Radia of CEI explain why we should add a few words to CISPA that would preserve the purpose of the bill, while still protecting the private right of contract in this country.
On Thursday, the House of Representatives is set to vote on CISPA, a controversial cybersecurity bill that’s beloved by companies besieged by cyber attacks — but despised by many Internet activists…
Privacy concerns remain as CISPA heads to vote
A key amendment that could satisfy one of privacy advocates’ top concerns with a House cybersecurity bill is still under discussion.
So far, the text of the amendment filed on Wednesday does not address privacy groups’ concerns with the Cyber Intelligence and Protection Act, or CISPA.
A earlier version of the amendment, circulated on Tuesday, included language that would have ensured the Homeland Security Department is the first recipient of cyber threat data from companies. This would have addressed privacy advocates’ concern that CISPA would allow companies to share cyber threat data directly with the National Security Agency.
However, the version of the amendment put forward for House consideration and posted on the Rules Committee’s website on Wednesday did not include that fix. Members are expected to vote on whether to adopt the amendment into the final version of the bill on Thursday. …
CISPA vote means companies can’t promise to protect privacy
Proposed amendment to CISPA says Internet companies’ promises to protect customer privacy were legally enforceable. But then Republicans vote it down.
Google, Facebook, Twitter, and other Internet companies and e-mail providers will be prohibited from making legally binding promises to protect your privacy, thanks to a vote this afternoon in the U.S. House of Representatives.
By a 5-8 vote, the House Rules committee rejected a bipartisan fix to the CISPA data-sharing bill that would have ensured companies’ privacy promises — including their terms of use and privacy policies — remained valid and legally enforceable in the future.
The vote came after Rep. Pete Sessions, a Texas Republican who’s the committee’s influential chairman, urged his colleagues to vote against the amendment (PDF). All of the committee’s eight GOP members voted against the amendment, and all the Democrats supported it. (See CNET’s CISPA FAQ.)
It also came hours after a formal veto threat from the Obama administration, citing privacy and other concerns about CISPA. A House floor debate is scheduled to begin tomorrow, which now will not include a vote on the amendment….
Read the whole thing.
Update: Congressman Amash writes about today’s vote on Facebook:
We have a lot to be thankful for even though we lost today’s battle.
My staff worked tirelessly to expose the truth about CISPA. Despite the persistent distortions and fear mongering by certain proponents of the bill, we managed to increase the number of Republican nays compared to last year’s vote.
Members of Congress who mislead their colleagues and the public to pass radical and dangerous bills like CISPA will ultimately lose. It’s becoming more and more difficult to play that game in politics. Thanks to social media, truth and liberty will prevail.
