Leahy Asks Vermonters to Resend Their E-Mail . . .Messages Lost in Computer Glitch

May 17, 2000

WASHINGTON (May 17) – Hundreds of computer messages sent to Sen. Patrick Leahy went prematurely to e-mail heaven due to an unknown system failure that may have been caused by a computer virus.

All of the missing e-mails, sent to Leahy by Vermonters within about the last month, were in the process of receiving action or replies from Leahy when a computer in his office inexplicably deleted them sometime late last week.

Leahy, who encourages e-mail and uses the Internet daily to communicate with Vermonters, invites all Vermonters who have sent e-mail to him within the last month and have not received a response to resend any electronic correspondence to him at: senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov.

Leahy’s office has been working closely with the U.S. Senate’s Sergeant at Arms Office, which handles computer security for the Senate, to determine the cause of the incident, which came in the wake of the most destructive computer virus ever, the so-called "Love Bug." In the meantime, Leahy and Senate computer specialists have implemented added security measures to prevent another such loss.

Leahy, in 1994, authored legislation that prohibits the transmission of damaging computer viruses. As the author of the Internet Security Act (S.2430), introduced last month, which would add a wide range of new enforcement tools to local, state and federal agencies on the front lines in thwarting and prosecuting computer crime, Leahy continues to be a leader in countering the growing threat of computer crime.