North Carolina Senator Richard Burr along with California’s Dianne Feinstein unveiled proposed legislation that would require companies to help the government break encryption on devices, but it already has generated opposition from Silicon Valley and privacy groups.

The bill, titled the “Compliance with Court Orders Act of 2016,” was formally released on Wednesday, the same day that the House began moving forward with legislation to require greater protection of digital data from warrantless searches.

The Burr-Feinstein legislation comes in the wake of the battle between the FBI and Apple about unlocking a terrorist’s iPhone in California.

“I have long believed that data is too insecure, and feel strongly that consumers have a right to seek solutions that protect their information – which involves strong encryption,” Burr said in a statement.

“I do not believe, however, that those solutions should be above the law. I am hopeful that this draft will start a meaningful and inclusive debate on the role of encryption and its place within the rule of law.  Based on initial feedback, I am confident that the discussion has begun.  We remain eager to sit down and discuss a way forward with all who are willing to engage constructively on this critically important and challenging issue.”

In a joint statement, Feistein declared: “No entity or individual is above the law. The bill we have drafted would simply provide that, if a court of law issues an order to render technical assistance or provide decrypted data, the company or individual would be required to do so. Today, terrorists and criminals are increasingly using encryption to foil law enforcement efforts, even in the face of a court order. We need strong encryption to protect personal data, but we also need to know when terrorists are plotting to kill Americans.”

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden tweeted he would oppose the bill.

“I will do everything in my power to block Burr-Feinstein anti-encryption bill,” he tweeted. “It makes Americans less safe.”

According to Reuters, President Obama doesn’t support the bill, either.

Tech and privacy groups also spoke out as they did last week when details of the Burr-Feinstein bill were leaked.

Reported re/code:

“Realistically, the Compliance With Court Orders Act doesn’t have much of a shot at getting signed into law,” noting the opposition of Obama, Wyden and Republican Darrell Issa in the House.

I will do everything in my power to block Burr-Feinstein anti-encryption bill. It makes Americans less safe.

Critics believe such a law would require companies to include a “back door” for law enforcement to use to gain data.

Kevin Bankston, director of the Washington-based New America’s Open Technology Institute, said in a statement that the bill would undermine American cybersecurity and technology products, give foreign competitors an economic edge and allow adversaries to obtain encrypted communications.

ACLU legislative counsel Neema Singh Guliani said the draft plan amounted to a “clear threat to everyone’s privacy and security” and senators should “abandon their efforts to create a government backdoor.”

Other groups opposed to that idea include the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation and the Consumer Technology Association.

The backstory

The Justice Department dropped its legal effort to compel Apple to provide it with specialized software that would allow the FBI to hack into an iPhone that was issued to San Bernardino County, California, health inspector Syed Farook. Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, killed 14 people in December. The couple died in a shootout with authorities.

The iPhone was found in a vehicle the day after the shooting. Two personal phones were found destroyed so completely the FBI could not recover information from them.

U.S. Magistrate Sheri Pym had ordered Apple to provide the FBI with software to help it hack into Farook’s work-issued iPhone after the government said only Apple could help authorities access the encrypted and locked iPhone. But days before a hearing in the case an outside party showed the FBI an ultimately workable situation to hack the phone.

The government ultimately purchased that solution — which FBI Director James Comey said only works on an iPhone 5C running version 9 of the Apple operating system — and is keeping it secret for now.

Comey and Apple CEO Tim Cook have said that Congress, not the courts, should address issues raised in the case.

Read more about the bill at:

http://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=EA927EA1-E098-4E62-8E61-DF55CBAC1649