The Civil Liberties Implications of Insecure Congressional Communications and the Need for Encryption

This letter urges the Sergeants at Arms of the House and Senate to provide secure communications for members of Congress and their staffs and to permit member offices to adopt secure technology on their own initiative. As data breaches and hacks occur with increasing regularity, it is very critical for Congress to ensure that communications—with constituents, other branches of government, the media, and among staff—are secure. This letter suggests several ways Congress can better protect its communications, including secure messaging apps and encrypted email.