Goodlatte Statement on Inclusion of CLOUD Act in Omnibus

Washington, D.C. -- House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) released this statement following House passage of the omnibus spending package, which includes the Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data (CLOUD) Act (H.R. 4943). “For the past several weeks, I have worked with Members and leaders in the House and Senate of both parties, as well as the Department of Justice, to attempt to reach a consensus on the CLOUD Act, which will allow law enforcement to share data with our friends and partners in other nations, and thereby combat serious crime and terrorism. I also consulted technology interests and civil liberties groups during this process.  I am very pleased that House Leadership has included the CLOUD Act in the omnibus appropriations bill.  The compromise CLOUD Act contains important changes from the introduced version, including many requested by the House Judiciary Committee to protect Congress’s constitutional oversight powers and ensure that challenges can be brought in a court of law if US citizens’ emails are targeted. “I commend Speaker Ryan for his strong and tireless leadership to resolve these issues. I also want to thank the dedicated staffers who have worked day and night to hammer out a compromise. As chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, I plan to build on this progress as we move forward on related issues in the future. This compromise shows that, even in times of partisanship and discord, Members of Congress can band together to solve thorny problems. I thank all my colleagues for their partnership on this issue.”