July 28, 2000
Senate-House Conferees Adopt Thompson-Inslee Privacy
Amendment
WASHINGTON — Senate Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Fred Thompson
(R-TN) and Representative Jay Inslee (D-WA) announced today that Congressional
conferees adopted an amendment to ensure that Congress is made aware of
potential privacy violations on Federal agency Internet sites. The Thompson-Inslee
amendment would require the Inspectors General of each agency to report to
Congress on how the agency collects and reviews personal information on its web
site.
"Our citizens have a right to know what information is being collected
about them on Federal web sites," Thompson said. "This legislation
would ensure that we know about agencies’ data collection practices so that
we in Congress can make sure that privacy rights of citizens are not being
violated."
"The American people do not want their privacy compromised by the
government, by private companies or by any unholy alliance of both,"
Inslee said. "This move signals to the American people that Congress is
beginning to listen to their concerns on the issue."
In June, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy was found to
have contracted with an Internet ad firm to use "cookies,"
information gathering devices, to track users on the ONDCP web site. In
response to a request from Senator Thompson, the General Accounting Office
(GAO) recently began an audit of Federal agencies’ use of cookies. Several
government web sites continue to use cookies despite a revised guidance from
the White House directing agencies not to use the technology unless there is a
"compelling need" to gather the data on the site and "clear and
conspicuous notice" that cookies are being used.
The Thompson-Inslee amendment, which gives agency Inspectors General 60 days
to submit their reports, would expand on the GAO investigation by requiring all
Inspectors General to report on each agency’s information-gathering
practices, including data interception systems such as the FBI’s
"Carnivore." The amendment was adopted in the conference report
funding the Legislative Branch, Treasury, Postal and General Government
Services. A similar amendment, sponsored by Rep. Inslee, passed the House by
voice vote on July 21, 2000.
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