56 Hon. Ron Paul
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56 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS January 3, 2001 programs. Funding for local programs in the cient administration of the Social Security sys- to their doctor will be placed in a government initial year would be $500 million, and would tem. accessible data base? rise to $2 billion in 2006, in addition to match- Mr. Speaker, Congress has a moral respon- Many of my colleagues will claim that the ing funds provided by local and state govern- sibility to address this problem as it was Con- federal government needs these powers to ments and the private sector. gress which transformed the Social Security protect against fraud or some other criminal To qualify, each local program would be re- number into a national identifier. Thanks to activities. However, monitoring the trans- quired to adopt a comprehensive and coordi- Congress, today no American can get a job, actions of every American in order to catch nated system of youth programs with the fol- open a bank account, get a professional li- those few who are involved in some sort of il- lowing five general components: ongoing rela- cense, or even get a drivers’ license without legal activity turns one of the great bulwarks of tionships with caring adults; safe places with presenting their Social Security number. So our liberty, the presumption of innocence, on structured activities; access to services that widespread has the use of the Social Security its head. The federal government has no right promote healthy lifestyles, including those de- number become that a member of my staff to treat all Americans as criminals by spying signed to improve physical and mental health; had to produce a Social Security number in on their relationship with their doctors, employ- opportunities to acquire marketable skills and order to get a fishing license! ers, or bankers. In fact, criminal law enforce- competencies; and, opportunities for commu- One of the most disturbing abuses of the ment is reserved to the state and local govern- nity service and civic participation. Thirty per- Social Security number is the congressionally- ments by the Constitution’s Tenth Amend- cent of funds would be targeted to youth pro- authorized rule forcing parents to get a Social ment. grams that address specific, urgent areas of Security number for their newborn children in need such as urban and rural communities order to claim them as dependents. Forcing Other members of Congress will claim that that currently lack sufficient access to positive parents to register their children with the state the federal government needs the power to and constructive opportunities. is more like something out of the nightmares monitor Americans in order to allow the gov- I want to thank all of the members of the co- of George Orwell than the dreams of a free re- ernment to operate more efficiently. I would alition behind this bill for bringing us together. public which inspired this nation’s founders. remind my colleagues that in a constitutional I applaud their work on this legislation and the Congressionally-mandated use of the Social republic the people are never asked to sac- work that they do every day in each of our Security number as an identifier facilitates the rifice their liberties to make the job of govern- local communities. I want to express special horrendous crime of identity theft. Thanks to ment officials a little bit easier. We are here to appreciation to all of the young people from the Congressionally-mandated use of the So- protect the freedom of the American people, these associations, who have rightly played cial Security number as an uniform identifier, not to make privacy invasion more efficient. such a key role in drafting and advocating for an unscrupulous person may simply obtain Mr. Speaker, while I do not question the sin- this legislation. someone’s Social Security number in order to cerity of those members who suggest that Congress has enacted many worthwhile access that person’s bank accounts, credit Congress can ensure citizens’ rights are pro- programs to help young people. But the bill we cards, and other financial assets. Many Ameri- tected through legislation restricting access to are introducing today has a different message. cans have lost their life savings and had their personal information, the only effective privacy Our bill responds to the tremendous desire of credit destroyed as a result of identity theft— protection is to forbid the federal government young people to have the greatest opportunity yet the federal government continues to en- from mandating national identifiers. Legislative possible to be active, creative, and productive courage such crimes by mandating use of the ‘‘privacy protections’’ are inadequate to protect citizens in our society, rather than receiving Social Security number as a uniform ID! the liberty of Americans for several reasons. society’s help only after they are in trouble. This act also forbids the federal government First, it is simply common sense that repealing Kids are asking to be given a chance to make from creating national ID cards or establishing those federal laws that promote identity theft is a difference in their own lives. We are saying any identifiers for the purpose of investigating, more effective in protecting the public than ex- that that is exactly what Congress can and monitoring, overseeing, or regulating private panding the power of the federal police force. should do. I am confident we can make that transactions between American citizens, as Federal punishment of identity thieves pro- happen. I look forward to working with my col- well as repealing those sections of the Health vides cold comfort to those who have suffered leagues to pass this legislation. Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of financial losses and the destruction of their f 1996 that require the Department of Health good reputation as a result of identity theft. and Human Services to establish a uniform Federal laws are not only ineffective in stop- INTRODUCTION OF THE IDENTITY standard health identifier. By putting an end to ping private criminals, they have not even THEFT PREVENTION ACT government-mandated uniform IDs, the Iden- stopped unscrupulous government officials tity Theft Prevention Act will prevent millions of from accessing personal information. Did laws HON. RON PAUL Americans from having their liberty, property purporting to restrict the use of personal infor- OF TEXAS and privacy violated by private-and-public sec- mation stop the well-publicized violation of pri- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES tor criminals. vacy by IRS officials or the FBI abuses by the In addition to forbidding the federal govern- Clinton and Nixon administrations? Wednesday, January 3, 2001 ment from creating national identifiers, this Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, today I introduce legislation forbids the federal government from Second, the federal government has been the Identity Theft Prevention Act. This act pro- blackmailing states into adopting uniform creating property interests in private informa- tects the American people from government- standard identifiers by withholding federal tion for example, a little-noticed provision in mandated uniform identifiers which facilitate funds. One of the most onerous practices of the Patient Protection Act established a prop- private crime as well as the abuse of liberty. Congress is the use of federal funds illegit- erty right for insurance companies to access The major provision of the Identity Theft Pre- imately taken from the American people to personal health are information. Congress also vention Act halts the practice of using the So- bribe states into obeying federal dictates. authorized private individuals to receive per- cial Security number as an identifier by requir- Mr. Speaker, of all the invasions of privacy sonal information from government databases ing the Social Security Administration to issue proposed in the past decade, perhaps the in the copyright bill passed in 1998. all Americans new Social Security numbers most onerous is the attempt to assign every Perhaps the most outrageous example of within five years after the enactment of the bill. American a ‘‘unique health identifier’’—an phony privacy protection is the Clinton Admin- These new numbers will be the sole legal identifier which could be used to create a na- istration’s so-called ‘‘medical privacy’’ pro- property of the recipient and the Social Secu- tional database containing the medical history posal, which allow medical researchers, cer- rity Administration shall be forbidden to divulge of all Americans. As an OB/GYN with more tain business interests, and law enforcement the numbers for any purposes not related to than 30 years in private practice, I know well officials’ access to health care information, in Social Security Administration. Social Security the importance of preserving the sanctity of complete disregard of the Fifth Amendment numbers issued before implementation of this the physician-patient relationship. Oftentimes, and the wishes of individual patients! Obvi- bill shall no longer be considered valid federal effective treatment depends on a patient’s ously, ‘‘privacy protection’’ laws have proven identifiers. Of course, the Social Security Ad- ability to place absolute trust in his or her doc- greatly inadequate to protect personal informa- ministration shall be able to use an individual’s tor. What will happen to that trust when pa- tion when the government is the one providing original Social Security number to ensure effi- tients know that any and all information given or seeking the information. VerDate Aug 31 2005 10:29 Feb 28, 2007 Jkt 029102 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 0689 Sfmt 9920 E:\BR01\E03JA1.000 E03JA1 erjones on PRODPC74 with SENATE January 3, 2001 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 57 The primary reason why any action short of overlooked. Promises were made to those CHIEF PHILLIP MARTIN—CHAM- the repeal of laws authorizing privacy viola- who served in the Uniformed Services.