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Read. Follow. Verify.Hearing on the Email Privacy Act (H.R. 699)
Record date · January 1, 2016
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What This Bill Does
The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on December 1, 2015, to discuss H.R. 699, the Email Privacy Act. The session featured testimony from government officials, law enforcement representatives, and technology industry experts regarding the legal standards for government access to private electronic communications.
This hearing examines proposed changes to the that would determine whether law enforcement must obtain a warrant to access older emails and other digital data stored by third-party service providers.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Technology Companies
These entities manage the data that law enforcement seeks to access and would be subject to new warrant requirements.
Law Enforcement Agencies
These agencies would be required to follow new legal procedures when requesting access to digital communications.
Key Facts
- The hearing was held on December 1, 2015, in the Rayburn House Office Building.
- The primary subject of the hearing was H.R. 699, titled the 'Email Privacy Act'.
- The committee heard testimony from six witnesses representing the SEC, federal prosecutors, state law enforcement, policy advocacy groups, and the technology industry.
- The hearing record includes prepared statements from various members of Congress and witnesses, which are archived for public review.
Frequently Asked Questions
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News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceFull breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Legislative focus on digital privacy
The hearing highlights a concerted effort in the 114th Congress to modernize privacy laws to reflect the prevalence of cloud-based data storage.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy60Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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