House Appropriations Adopts Email Privacy Act Language in FY 2018 Budget Bill

The House Appropriations Committee unanimously approved language in an FY 2018 spending bill that adds the substance of the Email Privacy Act, which is an update the 30-year-old Electronic Communications Privacy Act, said Rep. Kevin Yoder, R-Kan. The language was included in the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill that passed 31-21 Thursday and funds the SEC, Treasury Department, Judiciary and other agencies. Yoder sponsored the Email Privacy Act that unanimously passed the House in February (see 1702070011) and would require agencies to get a warrant to access an American's electronic communications in all instances, including those 180 days or older. He said he introduced the amendment due to "the Senate's lack of urgency" on such matters and "disturbing news" that the SEC in February sought access to an individual's emails stored by Yahoo with an administrative subpoena despite previous assurances it would get warrants. "If the Senate and the SEC refuse to recognize that, Republicans and Democrats in the House will work together to force their hand by adding this language to our must-pass spending bill," Yoder said. Representatives from the American Civil Liberties Union, Center for Democracy & Technology and others praised the committee's action in Yoder's release, as did the Software & Information Industry Association separately.