In a letter to bill sponsors Reps. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) and Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.), six conservative groups voiced their opposition to CISPA because it “unduly” expands federal power, undermines freedom of contract, and harms US technology sector competitiveness.
The six groups include the Competitive Enterprise Institute, TechFreedom, FreedomWorks, Americans for Limited Government, the Liberty Coalition, and the American Conservative Union.
“If CISPA is not revised to reflect our concerns, however, it may have serious unintended consequences for America’s vibrant technology sector—and for our constitutional rights. Therefore, we urge CISPA’s sponsors to consider these recommendations before sending the bill to the House floor”, the six groups warned.
Supporters of the bill argue that it will remove legal barriers to the sharing of cyberthreat information between the private sector and the government in order to combat cyber espionage and intellectual property theft.
The White House, too, has joined the fight against provisions of CISPA. In a call with reporters on Monday, White House officials called for strong privacy protections in cybersecurity legislation coming up for a vote this week, although they declined to name specific legislation.