Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., tells U.S. News there’s no reason to fear legislation that would force cellphone makers to incorporate a “kill switch” in devices, allowing stolen or lost phones to be remotely disabled and wiped of personal information.

Mikulski and three Senate colleagues, all Democrats, introduced The Smartphone Theft Prevention Act on Feb. 12, proposing that the technology be mandatory for new smartphones. The senators, led by Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, cited the Federal Communications Commission’s estimate that phone theft costs consumers $30 billion annually.

The bill would give the FCC authority to compel phone companies to develop and implement technology allowing victimized and absent-minded phone owners to disable their devices and clear personal information on request.