Press Releases

Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) today voted in favor of the Email Privacy Act (H.R. 699), legislation he had cosponsored to require that government bureaucrats and/or law enforcement officials acquire a search warrant prior to obtaining electronic communications content.  The bill improves privacy protections for electronic communications stored or maintained by a third-party service provider while also seeing that the legitimate needs of law enforcement may be met.  The bill passed the House today in a bipartisan vote of 419-0.

Griffith said, “Much has changed since 1986 when Congress passed the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, which sought to balance Americans’ privacy expectations with the needs of law enforcement agencies.  The first text message, for example, was sent six years later in 1992, and email wasn’t even close to being a part of our daily lives.  The Email Privacy Act takes important steps to modernize this outdated law, requiring the government and law enforcement agencies to obtain a search warrant from a court before a provider must disclose the content of electronic communications.  This bill protects American citizens’ privacy while also providing law enforcement with tools they need.  I encourage the Senate to consider this important measure and join us in working to bring the law in line with ever-changing technologies.”

Under current law, the government may access emails more than six months old without having obtained a warrant.  Additionally, under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), these emails may be accessed by law enforcement officials with a subpoena.

The Email Privacy Act would amend the ECPA to require a warrant to obtain emails held by third-party service providers.

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