The bipartisan leadership of the House Energy & Commerce Committee and its Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee have written both Apple CEO Tim Cook and FBI director James Comey asking them to appear before the committee ASAP to talk about encryption.
The FBI is trying to force Apple to create a software backdoor so it can access the information in the cell phone of one of the San Bernardino shooters, but Apple is balking, saying it puts all its users information at risk.
In the letters, the chairs and ranking members of both committee and subcommittee said the court order that Apple assist the FBI in "unlocking" the phone has brought the issue of encryption and law enforcement access to a "critical juncture," and it wants to hear both sides of the debate.
They said they want an answer by Feb. 24 and expected to schedule the hearing at its earliest opportunity.
