E-mail privacy supporters aren't limited to stand-alone legislation

Supporters of e-mail privacy legislation will not rely solely on stand-alone legislation to get their measure passed by the end of 2016. If the bill fails to get through both chambers during a tight election-year schedule, the sponsors will press to attach it as a rider to either spending or authorization bills. "Whether we can include that in the form of funding restriction in year-end spending bills or other authorization bills, I'm confident we'll find a place to put it — whether it is a stand-alone measure or not," said Rep Jared Polis (D-CO), one of the co-authors of the bill.

Supporters successfully added narrow warrant requirements for financial service regulators in 2015's spending bill. The House Judiciary Committee has planned a long-awaited April 13 vote on the E-mail Privacy Act, which would ensure the government has to obtain a warrant before forcing a technology company to hand over old customers' e-mails. To do that, it would close off a loophole in the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) that allows the government to get those electronic communications with a subpoena if they are older than 180 days. Rep Polis said he is confident the legislation will easily get to the House floor with its 314 co-sponsors.