Email Privacy Act Protects Americans in Digital Age
Washington, DC – Today, the House passed the Email Privacy Act, a bipartisan bill led by New Dem Vice-Chair Rep. Jared Polis (CO-02). This bipartisan bill, highlighted in the New Democrat Prosperity Agenda: Winning the Future, will fix outdated privacy laws. All present New Dem Members supported this bill which had more than 314 cosponsors.
The bill updates the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) and the arbitrary law that permits email communications to be obtained without a warrant after 180 days. The Email Privacy Act will also protect information stored in “the cloud,” aligning with changes in current Department of Justice and FBI policies that require law enforcement to obtain a warrant.
“Today is a major step forward to protect our civil liberties,” Congressmen Polis said. “Citizens should no longer be at risk of having their emails warrantlessly searched by government agencies. The Email Privacy Act will update our archaic privacy laws for the 21st century and safeguard our Fourth Amendment rights. I’m proud that the House has passed this commonsense bill, and I look forward to a swift passage in the Senate.”
This bill provides the same protection to emails that physical mail currently receives, updating a privacy law to meet the needs of the 21st century. An updated ECPA is necessary to protect Americans’ privacy in our increasingly digital world.
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