[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 47 (Thursday, April 13, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E554-E555]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TAXPAYER BILL OF RIGHTS 2000

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. MAX SANDLIN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 11, 2000

  Mr. SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Taxpayer 
Bill of Rights 2000. This legislation offers strong protections of 
taxpayers, including much-needed safeguards on personal information. 
This bill recognizes the importance of protecting taxpayers' privacy 
and would help prevent the illegal disclosure of personal information.
  The Taxpayer Bill of Rights, however, fulfills only a small part of 
our obligation to protect individual privacy. Last year, I voted for 
legislation, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Financial Services Modernization 
bill, that contained new federal protections of consumers' financial 
privacy. This legislation, which passed Congress and was signed into 
law by the President, allows consumers to protect their privacy by 
choosing to opt-out of information sharing by their financial 
institutions.
  The protections included in the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act are an 
important beginning

[[Page E555]]

and represent a minimum federal standard. Most importantly, the new law 
affords states the opportunity to pass even tougher restrictions on 
information sharing, thus giving them the chance to enact their own 
consumer privacy protections above and beyond the federal minimum.
  Allowing consumers the right to opt-out is a step in the right 
direction, although we still have many challenges ahead of us with 
regard to adequately protecting medical information and safeguarding 
Internet privacy. I urge my colleagues to join me in this important 
effort and continue to work hard to protect the privacy rights of every 
American.

                          ____________________