Grassley Continues to Press for Information About Possible Encryption Solution
WASHINGTON – Senator Chuck Grassley, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is continuing to press the Obama administration about its efforts to find a solution to the Going Dark problem that may be hindering law enforcement efforts to obtain important information to help stop future terrorist attacks. Grassley is concerned about maintaining the appropriate balance between privacy and public safety.
In a letter sent yesterday to Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates and FBI Director James Comey, Grassley requested additional information so that Congress can better understand the scope and nature of the Going Dark problem. Grassley noted that he has yet to see any concrete progress on the problem from the administration, despite indications that it may be getting worse. Grassley also asked that the administration keep Congress apprised of its efforts to resolve the problem.
Grassley’s request comes at a critical time after a magistrate judge yesterday ordered Apple to assist the FBI in retrieving encrypted information from the phone of one of the San Bernardino terrorists.
“Today’s news only underscores the fact that we need to work together to find constructive solutions to the Going Dark problem. Whether it’s a terrorism case handled by the FBI or a murder case handled by state or local police, it’s critical that we find a way that allows law enforcement to maintain its ability to execute lawful, court-authorized investigative techniques, such as warrants and wiretaps, which are essential to enforcing the rule of law and protecting the American people,” Grassley said.
Under Grassley’s leadership, in July 2015, the Senate Judiciary Committee convened a hearing to start the conversation in the Senate on the proper balance between privacy and public safety with regard to encryption technology. He followed up with letters to the Department of Justice in September and October of last year, seeking additional information about the Administration’s efforts to address the problem through dialogue with technology companies, in light of the fact that the Administration isn’t currently seeking a legislative solution.
The text of Grassley’s letter can be found here.
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Clinical trial results; Grassley calls for continued increased reporting
Sen. Chuck Grassley is tracking how well scientific researchers report clinical trial results to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in light of an investigative report showing lagging reporting. Researchers are required to report results to an NIH database, clinicaltrials.gov, for the benefit of patients and doctors. The news outlet STAT documented poor compliance by several leading outlets and then noted improved reporting after media coverage and public pressure. Grassley made the following comment on the improved reporting and his correspondence with NIH.
“It’s good news that media disclosure encouraged more reporting of clinical trial results. Investigative reporting deserves a lot of credit for affecting action in many fields. But NIH shouldn’t rely on media coverage to do its job here. Media coverage comes and goes, while NIH’s obligation to ensure compliance with reporting requirements is constant. NIH’s outreach and education methods to get better compliance are welcome.
“In addition, NIH has indicated it will be better equipped to take more enforcement action once a final rule outlining possible enforcement steps is in place. That sounds like a critical step to bring along outliers who don’t respond to other methods. NIH should continue its recent push to lead by example and report clinical trial results from its own researchers. It’s unclear why NIH has been behind in making this system as strong as it should be, but I appreciate the agency’s commitment to promoting greater reporting for patients’ benefit. The agency should continue to make progress, and I’ll continue to monitor the results.”
STAT’s coverage is available here and here. Grassley’s letter to NIH is available here. NIH’s response is available here.
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