Congress Warily Eyes Apple-FBI Standoff

As the fight heats up between Apple and the Justice Department over investigators’ push for access to a locked smartphone, Congress has waded in warily to see if it can broker a compromise or bolster the argument of either side. But lawmakers say Congress is unlikely to muster a solution anytime soon, because of the presidential election and sharp divisions between lawmakers who stress privacy and those who prioritize national security when it comes to encryption. House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Adam Schiff (D-CA) said that because “Congress is so dysfunctional,” he doesn’t believe it has the capacity to resolve this dispute. “If it comes down to Congress actually having to do something, we probably can’t do it,” Ranking Member Schiff said. He cited difficulties Congress has had recently in passing even far less controversial tech-related bills.