[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 75 (Thursday, June 15, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5176-S5177]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      THE ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE ACT

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I mention this only because I know we were 
in a quorum call and, being in a quorum call, this time would not be 
taken from the bill. The House of Representatives has passed 
overwhelmingly--I think with only four votes against it--the Electronic 
Signature Act. We will be taking it up in a matter of hours. I will 
speak further on this on the floor today, but I strongly urge my 
colleagues to vote for this bill.
  A number of us worked closely--Republicans and Democrats alike--to 
craft the final package. I was one of the conferees and signed the 
conference report--indeed I also signed and supported the earlier 
report based on the agreement we achieved before the last recess weeks 
ago. I think that it is a good piece of legislation. I think it should 
pass. It includes consumer protections and balance that were lacking 
from the House-passed bill and builds upon the narrower provisions of 
the Senate-passed bill to include some additional provisions regarding 
record retention.
  Originally, there were some who wanted to pass a digital signature 
bill almost for the sake of passing one. Fortunately, cooler heads 
prevailed in both parties but also among the industry. I think most of 
those in the various industries that will be affected, who want an 
electronic signature bill, realize they have to have something that 
would have consumer protection in it. Otherwise, we could see companies 
that do not have a strong sense of consumer ethics misuse the bill. The 
public reaction would be such that a subsequent Congress would wipe out 
all the gains we made.
  What has happened now is we have written in good protections. The 
best companies, those companies that value their reputation and are in 
for the long haul, will follow these rules without any hesitation. But 
companies that may think of this as a chance to make profits--sudden 
profits--from people who are not computer literate, people who are just 
coming across the digital divide, they will be stopped from preying on 
the innocent.
  I think it is a good piece of legislation, as I said. A number of us, 
Republicans and Democrats, worked very hard on this. Now we do have a 
good bill. In the Senate, Chairman McCain and Senator Hollings, Senator 
Hatch and I and Senator Gramm and Senator

[[Page S5177]]

Sarbanes all participated in this conference, and from the House, 
Chairman Bliley and Congressman Dingell, worked to put this together. 
On our side Senator Wyden made significant contributions, as well.
  I urge, when this does come to the Senate floor, that it be passed, I 
hope unanimously.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  (The remarks of Mr. Domenici and Mr. Bingaman pertaining to the 
introduction of S. 2736 are located in today's Record under 
``Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')

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