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The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 21, 1997, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren) is recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.

Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I am also here to discuss my proud cosponsorship of the SAFE Act. As the preceding speaker, my colleague from Virginia has noted, it is time, finally, for the United States to take the forward-thinking policy to avoid and abandon the flawed policies of key recovery, and to allow Americans to have complete protection from hackers and others who would steal and invade their privacy, and, in some cases, their well-being.

Mr. Speaker, the current administration is searching for answers to the current encryption dilemma. As with their preceding administrations, they are listening, as they should, to the concerns of law enforcement and their needs to keep us safe from predators and terrorists. That is absolutely appropriate, but it is not appropriate to fail to take action when the policy that we have today is so seriously flawed.

Mr. Speaker, I am hopeful that as we continue this dialogue, the American people will become more vigorous in standing up for their rights to privacy in the digital age and on the Internet. There are many things that Republicans and Democrats disagree about. Today, we will have most likely very vigorous, perhaps even acrimonious disagreements, about the way campaign finance reform has been brought to this floor, the limitations on debate, and really the very unfortunate attention that has been given to campaign finance reform, legitimate campaign finance reform, by the majority.

Putting that to one side, we should, nevertheless, work together where we do agree, and there is broad support among both Democrats and Republicans for a sound encryption policy that makes sure that all of us have access to the strongest encryption available in the world at large.

I commend my colleague, the gentleman from Virginia, Mr. Goodlatte, for his leadership in this effort, and look forward to resounding support from the entire House, and later the Senate.

END