Senate Democrats Form Privacy Task Force Says...Panel will focus on Internet, financial and medical records privacy

February 09, 2000

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Daschle today announced the creation of a new Senate Democratic Privacy Task Force that will examine what can and should be done to protect the privacy of Americans' medical and financial records and other personal information. The panel, to be chaired by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), will examine what can and should be done to protect the privacy of Americans' medical and financial records and other personal information.

"The issue of privacy touches virtually every American, often in extremely personal ways," Daschle said in announcing the new task force. "Whether it is bank records or medical files or Internet activities, Americans have a right to expect that personal matters will be kept private.

"Today, in too many ways, however, our right to privacy is at risk. Our laws have not kept up with sweeping technological changes. As a result, some of our most sensitive, private matters end up on databases that are then sold to the highest bidder. That is wrong, it's dangerous, and it has to stop."

"When it comes to privacy, the digital age is advancing so rapidly now that we are in danger of becoming technology's servants instead of its master," said Leahy, the Democratic Leader of the Senate Judiciary Committee. "We have reached the point that if you have a medical record, credit card or computer, you have a privacy problem. It is important to come to grips with the erosion of our privacy rights before it comes too late to get them back. We need to consider a variety of solutions, including technological ones, and we need to look at the appropriate roles for private as well as public policy answers."

Daschle said the Privacy Task Force members will work with consumer and business groups and the Administration to determine what abuses constitute threats to privacy and decide how best to address those threats. They will also seek to educate the public about the complex issues surrounding privacy, and what steps consumers can take to safeguard their own records.