House Lawmakers Form Digital Trade Caucus, Prompting CTA Praise

CTA lauded Reps. Erik Paul, R-Minn., and Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., Monday for forming the Congressional Digital Trade Caucus. The caucus will promote “a free and open internet to support the digital needs of manufacturers and service providers” and “free cross-border data flows” and no data localization requirements, a DelBene news release said. It hopes to ensure “trading partners allow open online and cloud platforms by not requiring them to filter speech” and kill “requirements that businesses transfer technology, source code or encryption keys,” it said. The caucus “will help ensure that the administration's stated goal of strengthening trade agreements -- for instance by adding provisions on cross border data flows, fair use and intermediary liability protections -- will become a new standard for negotiations,” CTA President Gary Shapiro said. “This new bipartisan caucus will ensure continued American leadership in the digital economy by promoting trade policies that harness the power of the internet and technology to reach new customers around the world,” Paulsen said.