NEWSReport No. CC 97-56   COMMON CARRIER ACTION             October 10, 1997

               COMMISSION SEEKS COMMENT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF 
             COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANCE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ACT 
                                      
          The Commission today released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)
seeking comment on proposed rules to implement the Communications Assistance for
Law Enforcement Act (CALEA). 

          Since 1970, telecommunications carriers have been required to cooperate with
law enforcement in conducting electronic surveillance.  Under CALEA, enacted in
1994, carriers are required to modify and design their equipment, facilities and
services to support lawful electronic surveillance.   Telecommunications carriers
must complete changes required by CALEA by October 25, 1998.  

          The Commission concluded that Congress sought to balance three important
policies in crafting CALEA:  to preserve the capability of law enforcement to carry
out lawful electronic surveillance, to protect privacy in the face of increasingly
powerful technologies, and to avoid impeding the development of new
communications services.   In today's NPRM, the Commission seeks comment on
the policies and procedures employees of telecommunications carriers must follow to
preclude the unlawful interception of communications, to ensure that authorized
interceptions are performed, and to maintain secure and adequate records of any
interceptions.  The Commission also seeks comment on what entities should be
subject to the Commission's requirements, whether CALEA's assistance capability
requirements are reasonably feasible, and whether to grant extensions of time for
compliance with CALEA's requirements.   

          Action by the Commission October 2, 1997 by Report and Order 
(FCC 97-356).  Chairman Hundt, Commissioners Quello, Ness, and Chong.

                                     -FCC-

          News media contact: Rochelle Cohen at (202) 418-0253.
          Common Carrier Bureau contact:  Kent Nilsson at (202) 418-2330.