US Lawmakers Ask Trade Czar To Stem Data Threats

WASHINGTON (AP) — Members of Congress want the Obama administration to demand that U.S. allies back away from proposed restrictions on international data transmissions, saying those actions could hurt U.S. companies.

Some nations are seeking to tighten the flow of data after reports this fall of the National Security Agency conducting massive information gathering.

Germany has asked European Union officials to consider restrictions that would prevent U.S. companies from processing commercial and personal data from customers in Europe. That could affect the flow of information and hurt U.S. businesses. Other proposals could affect the development cloud computing.

A bipartisan group of House members — 12 Democrats and six Republicans — has sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman, insisting that nations abandon such efforts as a condition of pending trade pacts.