May 30, 2000

ACTION ALERT! (Copy and put in your waiting room!)
PROTECT PATIENT PRIVACY

Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) has introduced two important privacy amendments to S. 2107, the "Competitive Market Supervision Act." This amendment will probably come to a vote in the Senate Banking Committee next week. Your help is crucial to obtaining the votes that will assure passage.

The amendments are:

The Medical Privacy Amendment: This will require your financial institution to get your consent (opt-in) before they may obtain or receive individually identifiable health information about you from either affiliated or unaffiliated third parties to use in deciding what financial products or services they will offer you.

Freedom from Behavioral Profiling Amendment. This is intended to stop financial institutions from constructing your psychological and behavioral profile-based on your most personal and detailed buying habits-without your prior knowledge or consent. You would have to opt-in to their program.

These two amendments are needed to close large loopholes in the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act passed last year.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: If your Senator is listed below as a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, call and urge him to vote YES on Shelby's privacy amendments.

Sen. Phil Gramm (R-TX) (202) 224-2934
Sen. Bob Bennett (R-UT) (202) 224-5444
Sen. Connie Mack (R-FL) (202) 224-5274
Sen. Rod Grams (R-MN) (202) 224-3244
Sen. Wayne Allard (R-CO) (202) 224-5941
Sen. Michael Enzi (R-WY) (202) 224-3424
Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) (202) 224-4224
Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) (202) 224-6324
Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) (202) 224-4343
Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) (202) 224-6142
Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-MD) (202) 224-4524
Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT) (202) 224-2823
Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) (202) 224-2742
Sen. Richard Bryan (D-NV) (202) 224-6244
Sen. Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD) (202) 224-5842
Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) (202) 224-4642
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) (202) 224-6542
Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) (202) 224-5623
Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) (202) 224-3154