You slightly misquoted (b) - it says that nothing in this act may be construed to authorize any government officer to require or prohibit any specific design or

You slightly misquoted (b) - it says that nothing in this act may be construed to authorize any government officer to require or prohibit any specific design or operating system. I think it's meant to avoid a situation where regulators would have lists of specific software that is required or prohibited, as opposed to the government suing companies on a case by case basis if their software didn't comply with (c). It appears to be based on a clause from CALEA, which refers to "any law enforcement agency or officer" - see (b) (1) in: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/47/1002 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/47/1002