House

	H.R. 30, Financial Information Privacy Act of 1999 Sponsor: Rep. James Leach, R-IA Cosponsors: 6 (3 R, 3 D) Introduced: January 6, 1999 Description: This bill would ban so-called "pretext" calling, a currently legal means by which individuals may obtain information from financial institutions under false pretenses.
	H.R. 97, Personal Privacy Protection Act Sponsor: Rep. John Conyers, D-MI Cosponsor: Rep. Bill McCollum, R-FL Introduced: January 6, 1999 Description: An anti-stalking bill designed to guard against individuals seeking to photograph or tape individuals for "commercial purposes." Outlook: This bill is stalled.
	H.R. 174: Bank Examination Report Protection Act of 1999 Sponsor: Rep. Bill McCollum, R-FL Cosponsors: 11 (10 R, 1 D) Introduced: January 6, 1999 Description: This bill declares that information obtained in bank examinations will enjoy a privileged status for confidential information.
	H.R. 220, Freedom and Privacy Restoration Act of 1999 Sponsor: Rep. Ron Paul, R-TX Cosponsors: 26 (23 R, 3 D) Introduced: January 6, 1999 Description: This bill would amend the Social Security Act to require that Social Security numbers not be used as a national identification number and prohibit federal agencies from imposing use of the number.
	H.R. 313, Consumer Internet Privacy Protection Act of 1999 Principal sponsor: Rep. Bruce Vento, D-MN Cosponsors: None Introduced: January 6, 1999 Description: This bill would limit the use to which Internet service providers could make of the personally identifiable information provided to them.
	H.R. 367, Social Security On-line Privacy Protection Act of 1999 Sponsor: Rep. Bob Franks, R-NJ Introduced: January 19, 1999 Description: This bill would regulate the use of Social Security account numbers and related personally identifiable information.
	H.R. 516, Know Your Customer Sunset Act Sponsor: Rep. Ron Paul, R-TX Cosponsors: 66 (57 R, 9 D) Introduced: February 3, 1999 Description: This will would prohibit the Secretary of the Treasury and the federal banking agencies from implementing the proposed "know your customer" regulations that would require financial institutions to profile typical deposits and withdrawals of bank customers.
	H.R. 517, FinCen Public Accountability Act Sponsor: Rep. Ron Paul, R-TX Cosponsors: 3 (2 R, 1 D) Introduced: February 3, 1999 Description: This bill would require the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network established by the Secretary of the Treasury to allow an individual to obtain a copy of any record maintained by FinCen.
	H.R. 518, Bank Secrecy Sunset Act Sponsor: Rep. Ron Paul, R-TX Cosponsors: 19 (15 R, 4 D) Introduced: February 3, 1999 Description: The bill would eliminate portions of the Bank Secrecy Act regarding Currency Transaction Reports and Suspicious Activity Reports.
	H.R. 1057, Medical Information Privacy and Security Act Sponsor: Rep. Edward Markey, D-MA Cosponsors: 43 (1 I, 42 D) Introduced: March 10, 1999 Description: Markey's medical records privacy bill would allow individuals to have access to health information about themselves. It most closely parallels the Medical Information Privacy and Security Act, S. 573, introduced by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-VT, and Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-MA.
	H.R. 1869, Stalking Prevention and Victim Protection Act of 1999 Sponsor: Rep. Sue W. Kelly, R-NY Cosponsors: 31 (R23, D8) Introduced: May 19, 1999 Description: This bill would broaden the definition of stalking crimes to include so-called "cyberstalking" — cases in which a perpetrator uses the Internet to send threatening e-mail messages across state lines.
	H.R. 1941, Health Information Privacy Act Sponsor: Rep. Gary Condit, D-CA Cosponsors: 65 (0 R, 64 D, 1 I) Introduced: May 25, 1999 Description: Condit's bill adopts a narrower approach than that taken by Markey, but one that is still more extensive that Republican proposals. It most closely parallels the Health Care Personal Information Nondisclosure Act of 1999, S. 578, introduced by Sen. James Jeffords, R-VT, and Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-CT.
	H.R. 2470, Medical Information Protection and Research Enhancement Act of 1999 Sponsor: Rep. James Greenwood, R-PA Cosponsors: 9 (7 R, 2 D) Introduced: July 12, 1999 Description: Greenwood's bill would offer patients medical privacy protections more limited than those offered by the Markey and Condit bills. It most closely parallels the Medical Information Protection Act, S. 881, introduced by Sen. Robert Bennett, R-UT.
	H.R. 2882, Internet Consumer Information Protection Act Sponsor: Rep. Bruce Vento, D-MN Cosponsors: Rep. Martin Frost, D-TX Introduced: January 6, 1999 Description: This bill would require Web-based businesses to provide notices permitting consumers to opt-out of data-sharing arrangements when then sell information to third parties. In form, it replicates the approach of the compromise privacy amendment to the Financial Services Modernization Act (H.R. 10) that mandates opt-out when sharing data with third parties but permits data-sharing within affiliated companies.
	H.R. 3320, Consumer's Right to Financial Privacy Act Sponsor: Rep. Edward Markey, D-MA Cosponsor: 60 (3 R, 57 D) Introduced: November 10, 1999 Description: This bill would mandate that financial institutions implement a system of "opt-in" requirements for the sharing of personal information with either third parties or affiliates.
	H.R. 3321, Electronic Privacy Bill of Rights Act Sponsor: Rep. Edward Markey, D-MA Cosponsors: Rep. Bill Luther, D-MN Introduced: November 10, 1999 Description: This sweeping bill would require Web site operators to post privacy policies and to permit "opt-in" consent before sharing any personally-identifiable information from any site visitors. History: Building on his success in raising the argument that privacy rules should be "opt-in," Markey's Electronic Privacy Bill of Rights Act attempts to up the ante on the subject.

Senate

	S. 187, Financial Information Privacy Act of 1991 Sponsor: Sen. Paul Sarbanes, D-MD Cosponsors: 5 (D 5) Introduced: January 19, 1999 Description: This bill is designed to guarantee the privacy of information sharing between banks and affiliated companies.
	S. 573, Medical Information Privacy and Security Act Sponsor: Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-VT Cosponsors 6 (D 6) Introduced: March 10, 1999 Description: The Leahy/Kennedy Approach to medical privacy would establish a federal "floor" above which states could pass much broader and more comprehensive legislation. It would also grant the greatest rights to patients seeking to keep personal medical information from researchers.
	S. 578, Health Care Personal Information Nondisclosure Act of 1999 Sponsor: Sen. James Jeffords, R-VT Cosponsors Sen. Chris Dodd, D-CT Introduced: March 10, 1999 Description: The Jeffords/Dodd approach to medical records confidentiality permits states to provide greater privacy protection for a period of 18 months after legislation passes. After that time, they would be forced to abide by congressional legislation.
	S. 809, Online Privacy Protection Act of 1999 Sponsor: Sen. Conrad Burns, R-MT Cosponsors: Sen. Ron Wyden, D-OR Introduced: April 15, 1999 Description: Burns' and Wyden's measure would require the Federal Trade Commission to prescribe regulations to protect the privacy of personal information collected from and about private individuals by requiring Web site operators to permit customers to "opt-out" from the collection of personal information.
	S. 854, Electronic Rights for the 21st Century Act Sponsor: Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-VT Cosponsors: None Introduced: April 21, 1999 Description: This bill would amend the federal criminal code to mandate privacy protections for personal information stored on electronic servers rather than simply in paper records held in an individual's home. It also promotes the use of encryption, and protects the privacy of library and book sale records, as well television programs obtained via satellite.
	S. 881, Medical Information Protection Act Sponsor: Sen. Robert Bennett , R-UT Cosponsors 7 (R 7, D 0) Introduced: April 27, 1999 Description: Of the three major bills in the Senate, Bennett's medical records privacy bill is the most amenable to the health care industry. It establishes a federal "ceiling" above which states may not pass more restrictive patient privacy protections.
	S. 900, Financial Services Modernization Act Sponsor: Sen. Phil Gramm, R-TX Cosponsors: Rep. James Leach, R-IA, Rep. Tom Bliley, R-VA Introduced: April 28, 1999 Description: Perhaps the most important piece of legislation passed by Congress this session, the bill breaks down the boundaries that kept banks, brokerages, and insurance companies from merging. Of particular concern are the provisions of the bill that mandate the financial services companies permit customers to "opt-out" of information sharing practices whenever personally-identifiable data is shared with third parties. There are no similar protections for data shared with affiliated companies. The bill also includes a ban on the practice of "pretext" calling, in which a caller obtains personal information from another by pretense.
	S. 1903, Consumer's Right to Financial Privacy Act Sponsor: Sen. Richard Shelby, R-AL Cosponsor: Sen. Richard Bryan, D-NV Introduced: November 10, 1999 Description: This bill would mandate that financial institutions implement a system of "opt-in" requirements for the sharing of personal information with either third parties or affiliates.
	S. 1924, Financial Information Privacy and Security Act Sponsor: Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-VT Cosponsors: 7 (7 D) Introduced: November 16, 1999 Description: This bill would require financial services companies to obtain "opt-in" consent for information-sharing with third parties and to permit customers to "opt-out" of such sharing between banks and affiliated insurers or brokerage companies.
	S. 2063, Internet Privacy Act (also known as the Secure Online Communication Enforcement Act of 2000) Sponsor: Sen. Robert Torricelli, D-NJ Cosponsor: Sen. Russell Feingold, D-WI Introduced: February 10, 2000 Description: A simple yet sweeping approach to online privacy by making it a crime for a Web site operator to share any personally-identfiable information with a third party without first obtaining a customer's "opt-in" consent.