|
October 2, 2000
(House)
H.R. 4049 - Privacy Commission Act
(Rep. Hutchinson (R) Arkansas and 36 cosponsors)
While the Administration agrees that the rapid growth of the Nation's
information-focused economy calls for reassessing the balance between
personal privacy and information use, the Administration is concerned that
the bill's Commission for the Comprehensive Study of Privacy Protection
could be used as a reason to delay much-needed privacy legislation. The
Administration opposes House passage of H.R. 4049.
The Administration is working hard to retain the advantages that come from
new technologies while guarding against possible costs to privacy and
security that can come from misuses of those technologies. The American
people cannot afford to wait a year and a half, or likely more, to see the
creation of needed privacy protections. Specifically, action is needed now
in the areas of financial privacy, medical records privacy, and genetic
discrimination. There has already been extensive discussion of these
proposals within the Congress and among the stakeholders. Further study of
these topics by the proposed Commission would duplicate the public
examination that has already taken place, without adding real value. For
example, the proposed medical privacy rules that become final this year
will be the result of a multi-year process that generated over 53,000
public comments, many in extensive detail. These comments show a need for
further action, not further study.
Additionally, H.R. 4049 does not include a provision containing language
similar to that offered by Representative Waxman in the House Government
Reform Committee regarding the disclosure by financial institutions of
nonpublic personal information to affiliates and nonaffiliated third
parties. Such a provision would require the Federal banking agencies, the
National Credit Union Administration, the Secretary of the Treasury, the
Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Federal Trade Commission to
promulgate final regulations to protect the privacy of such information.
The Administration also notes that, as with other commissions on many
important national issues, the President should have a greater role in
appointing Commission members.
|