The Consumer Technology Association, which represents over 1,200 technology companies including Amazon, Apple, and Google, is urging the Senate to pass the CLARITY Act without delay. The group's push comes as Senator Cynthia Lummis criticized the idea of prosecuting software code as a crime, calling it an 'absurdity'.
Who's behind the push
The CTA's membership spans the biggest names in consumer tech. Its call for swift passage of the CLARITY Act signals broad industry concern over how courts might treat developers who write code that could be used for illegal purposes. The group did not specify a timeline for the Senate to act, but its statement made clear the bill is a top priority.
Lummis's blunt critique
Senator Lummis, a Republican from Wyoming, didn't mince words. 'Treating code as a crime is an absurdity,' she said. Her comment zeroes in on a legal debate that has split courts and worried tech companies: whether writing software alone can be enough to charge someone with a crime, even if they intended no harm. Lummis's view aligns with the CTA's position that the CLARITY Act would fix that problem.
What the bill aims to do
The CLARITY Act — short for Clarifying Lawful Use of Software Act — is designed to prevent prosecutors from charging software developers solely for writing code. Backers say it would block cases where the government tries to treat normal programming as criminal conspiracy or computer fraud. The bill has drawn bipartisan support, though its path through the Senate remains uncertain.
The CTA's push adds weight to the lobbying effort. With members like Apple and Google, the group can marshal serious resources. But the Senate calendar is crowded, and the bill hasn't been scheduled for a vote yet.
