[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 106 (Friday, July 31, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H6871]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          H.R. 4355, THE YEAR 2000 INFORMATION DISCLOSURE ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the year 2000 problem, we 
all know that time is running out and we are competing in a race 
against the calendar to avert an impending computer catastrophe. This 
Congress is firmly committed to moving the Federal Government and 
private industry toward correcting the year 2000 problem in a timely 
and effective manner.
  In order for private industry to be Y2K compliant, given the 
relatively brief amount of time left before the January 1, 2000, 
deadline, we must foster an environment for the exchange and the free 
flow of information among businesses. Allowing information about year 
2000 solutions to be widely available can help private industry move 
expeditiously to correct the problem. But, unfortunately, liability 
concerns have made many in the private sector reluctant to exchange 
such information.
  At the request of the President, I join today with my colleagues on 
both sides of the aisle to sponsor H.R. 4355, the Year 2000 Information 
Disclosure Act. While the bill in its current form may not fully 
address the liability problems associated with information sharing, I 
believe it is important to begin the debate on addressing this issue.
  As the co-chair of the House Y2K task force along with my co-chair 
the gentleman from California (Mr. Horn), I intend to work with the 
appropriate committees of jurisdiction in Congress and with the private 
industry to craft an effective bill which will promote the open sharing 
of information about year 2000 solutions.
  By working together, and only by working together, we have an 
opportunity to effectively address the liability concerns of private 
industry and to encourage the sharing of important information about 
solutions to correct the Y2K problem.
  Let us move ahead.
  Mr. Speaker, I include a statement by the ranking member of the 
Subcommittee on Technology, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Barcia).
  Mr. BARCIA. I want to join my colleagues in introducing the Year 2000 
Information Disclosure Act.
  We have all read about the potential effects of the Year 2000 
computer problem. The Subcommittee on Technology and the Subcommittee 
on Government Management, Information, and Technology have been at the 
forefront of publicizing the nature of this problem, and have 
consistently pushed Agency officials to fix their computer systems. As 
my colleagues have already outlined the scope of the problem and the 
provisions of this bill, I want to focus on a few key elements.
  First, I want to commend the Administration and especially Mr. John 
Koskinen, Assistant to the President and Chair of the President's 
Council on Year 2000 Conversion, for drafting this legislation. 
Although there has been much discussion regarding what actions Federal 
agencies should take to correct their systems, the larger private 
sector issue has been largely ignored. This legislation is the first of 
several steps necessary to assist the private sector in addressing the 
Y2K problem in a open and constructive way.
  By protecting those who share Y2K information in good faith from 
liability claims based on exchanges of information, this bill promotes 
an open and public exchange of information between companies about Y2K 
solutions. Throughout the Subcommittee on Technology's examination of 
the Year 2000 computer problem, I have continued to be surprised about 
the lack of hard facts. The goal of this bill is to make companies feel 
more secure in sharing information about this problem.
  However, this is only a first step, and many important issues remain 
to be addressed. I believe that the most important element of any 
national Y2K strategy is informing consumers and small- and medium-
sized businesses on how the Y2K problem could affect them. The public 
needs a Y2K checklist and they need to know what questions to ask. I 
know my colleagues on the House Y2K Task Force, Representatives Horn, 
Kucinich, and Morella, share my concerns and I look forward to working 
with them to develop an appropriate strategy.
  In closing, I urge the swift action on this important piece of 
legislation.

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