Judiciary Committee leaders back cellphone unlocking

The top lawmakers in both chambers with authority over cellphone unlocking are now saying they plan to move legislation to legalize the practice. The leaders of the House Judiciary Committee said that they will work with their Senate counterparts to allow consumers to unlock their phones, which lets them switch the devices to other networks.

The Judiciary Committees in both chambers have jurisdiction over copyright issues, including cellphone unlocking Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, came out in support of the practice earlier this week. Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), the panel's ranking member, vowed to work on a bipartisan basis "to address the issue of cell phone unlocking to provide consumers with greater choices and affordability in this vital marketplace.” Reps. Howard Coble (R-NC), chairman of the Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet Subcommittee, and Mel Watt (D-NC), the subcommittee's ranking member, also said they will back legislation.