Washingtonpost.com staff
Updated May 8, 1998

Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) represents California’s 16th District, which encompasses much of Silicon Valley, including the city of San Jose.

Not surprisingly, Lofgren has displayed a particular interest in hi-tech issues. She is one of the leading cosponsors with Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) of the Security and Freedom Through Encryption (SAFE) Act [H.R. 695].

"Powerful encryption is available worldwide; a mandatory, global 'key escrow' system will never be adopted, and hundreds of thousands of American jobs will be lost if we don't change our current course," Lofgren explained last year.

"The rhetoric of fear is powerful, but it ignores the facts. International 'drug lords' or terrorists will not be affected by banning U.S. companies from exporting strong encryption. Criminals or anyone else can get the software off the Internet today."

Lofgren last year also introduced a bill that would require all Internet providers to offer parents some type of filtering software.

In a 1996 letter to the editor of The Washington Post, Lofgren explained her position on controlling the Internet, which includes strong opposition to the Communication Decency Act: "Empowering parents to supervise the content that comes into their homes through the Internet is a far more effective solution than establishing Big Brother for the Internet," she wrote.

See Rep. Lofgren's Congressional Guide profile and send her e-mail.