EPIC Opposes Nomination of Marshall Billingslea for Top Human Rights Position

In a EPIC statement to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, EPIC has urged the U.S. Senate to reject the nomination of Marshall Billingslea for Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights. "This is a critical position in the U.S. government for human rights and should be filled by a person with a deep regard for international law and fundamental rights, such as a constitutional scholar. Mr. Billingslea simply lacks the necessary qualifications for this post," EPIC said. EPIC also said that the US should ratify the International Privacy Convention. The Council of Europe Convention 108+ is the first and only binding international legal instrument for data protection. Updated in 2018, the Modernized Convention includes new provisions on biometric data and algorithmic transparency.