FBI DIRECTOR FREEH TESTIFIES AT SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HEARING

On June 4, FBI Director Louis Freeh testified before a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing. Freeh's testimony, which covered a broad range of FBI concerns, focused to a notable extent on the Internet, encryption policy, and electronic surveillance issues. The FBI Director made a point of specifically emphasizing the "dangers" posed by new computer and communications technologies, in an effort to justify government control and regulation.

In his testimony, the FBI Director listed the three priorities of the FBI as (1) funding to implement CALEA; (2) encryption legislation to create a key-recovery infrastructure allowing guaranteed government access to private keys; and (3) expanded authority for "roving wiretaps." All three points are addressed in CDT's communications privacy report.