WASHINGTON — September 17, 2015 — BSA | The Software Alliance commends the House Judiciary Committee’s consideration of H.R. 1428, the Judicial Redress Act of 2015, saying the bill represents a major step forward in restoring global trust in the United States.

The Judicial Redress Act provides limited and appropriate access to court for foreign citizens to protect their privacy. The current lack of judicial redress for foreign nationals in cases of privacy violations has long been a concern for Europeans. This lack of reciprocity affects global trust, international data transfers and, ultimately, the ability of American companies to compete.

“We commend the bill's sponsor, Subcommittee Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner, for his leadership, and thank Chairman Bob Goodlatte and Ranking Member John Conyers for bringing this important bill before the Committee,” said BSA President and CEO Victoria Espinel. “By giving our allies’ citizens the right to understand how their information is shared and to appropriately seek redress, we can enhance their trust in the global technology industry and remove barriers to digital trade.”

In addition to enhancing trust in the technology industry, the Judicial Redress Act is an important milestone in efforts to finalize the Data Privacy and Protection Agreement (DPPA) between the US and the EU. Currently, the DPPA, also referred to as the Umbrella Agreement, boosts critical law enforcement cooperation between the US and the EU. Failure to pass the Judicial Redress Act would threaten the DPPA which could damage critical law enforcement activities. It would also represent a missed opportunity to strengthen global confidence in data flows between the US and EU.

“The Judicial Redress Act is important to US businesses in today’s global marketplace," noted Bruce Pincus, General Counsel at PA-based Minitab, Inc. and a board member of BSA | The Software Alliance. “Our 320 employees rely on international pacts like the Umbrella Agreement that contribute to creating trust, to build and expand into international markets. Passing the Judicial Redress Act improves our global trading partnerships and bolsters our growing software economy.”