S7570 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 28, 2013 Monks for his artistic excellence, his Bogota´ . He is currently the coordinator That is why Congress must revitalize spirit of volunteerism, and his gen- of CINEP’s human rights database the digital privacy protections that erous contributions to the history and which collects, records, and dissemi- were enacted in ECPA. That is also operations of the United States Senate. nates information on the most serious why I am working in a bipartisan man- f violations of human rights and inter- ner to update this law to reflect the re- national humanitarian law. He has alities of our time. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN dedicated his life to this work and to In April, the Judiciary Committee fa- COLOMBIA supporting the poor and excluded. vorably reported bipartisan legislation Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I want to The courage and dedication displayed that I authored with Republican Sen- express my thanks to the governments by these two individuals represents ator MIKE LEE to update ECPA and to of Colombia, Cuba and Norway, and to just a small fraction of the essential bring this law fully into the digital the International Committee of the work being done by human rights de- age. Our bipartisan bill updates ECPA Red Cross and the Reverend Jessie fenders in Colombia. It is all the more to require that the government obtain Jackson, for their efforts to secure the remarkable because, despite some no- a search warrant—based upon probable release yesterday of American citizen, table progress in investigating, pros- cause—before obtaining the content of Kevin Scott Sutay, who was kidnapped ecuting and punishing those respon- our emails and other electronic com- by the FARC earlier this year. I hope sible for heinous crimes, impunity is munications. The commonsense re- this is another sign that negotiations the norm and Colombia remains a very forms in our bill carefully balance the to end Colombia’s decades long armed dangerous place for lawyers, social ac- interests and needs of consumers, the conflict are progressing, and that a tivists, and journalists who work and law enforcement community, and our peace agreement is possible. report on human rights. Nation’s thriving technology sector. I also want to take this opportunity Islena Rey, Father Alejandro, and The bill enjoys the support of a diverse to call attention to the contributions countless other brave Colombians will coalition of more than 100 privacy, of two courageous Colombian human continue tending to victims of human civil liberties, civil rights and tech- rights abuses. They are undeterred by rights activists, Islena Rey and Father nology organizations from across the the social stigma they face, or the Alejandro Angulo Novoa, and to the political spectrum, including the threats and acts of violence against challenges they and other human American Civil Liberties Union, the them and their colleagues. They de- rights defenders face. Heritage Foundation, the Center for serve our respect and our thanks, be- On September 9, Colombia’s Human Democracy and Technology and Ameri- cause the protection of human rights, Rights Day, both were awarded for cans for Tax Reform. The bill is also wherever they are threatened or de- their human rights work in a presen- the product of careful consultation nied, is everybody’s responsibility. tation organized by Di logo Inter- with many government and private Agencial en Colombia, a consortium of f sector stakeholders, including the De- international nongovernmental organi- ELECTRONIC COMMMUNICATIONS partments of Justice, Commerce and zations working for human rights in PRIVACY ACT 27TH ANNIVERSARY State, local law enforcement, and Colombia. This is the second year of Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, the Elec- members of the technology and privacy the awards, and they were presented tronic Communications Privacy Act communities. I remain disappointed during a time of increasing attacks ECPA, one of the Nation’s premiere that a single Republican Senator has against human rights defenders in that digital privacy laws, was enacted 27 objected to the unanimous consent re- country. The awards are significant years ago on October 21. I join the quest to pass this bipartisan bill, which not only because they recognize the re- many privacy advocates, technology overwhelmingly passed the Judiciary cipients’ contributions, but also be- organizations, legal scholars and other Committee. cause they help to reduce the social Americans who celebrate this mile- The privacy reforms in this bill are stigma that surrounds human rights stone and all that ECPA has come to too important to delay. Like Senator work in Colombia and many other symbolize about the importance of LEE and me, all of the bill’s supporters countries. safeguarding our privacy rights in understand that protecting our digital Islena Rey, founder of the Meta Civic cyberspace. privacy rights is not a Democratic Committee for Human Rights, was When I introduced ECPA with former ideal, nor a Republican ideal, but an named Defender of the Year for her ef- Republican Senator Charles Mathias in American ideal that all of us should forts to bring together and organize 1986, I said that ‘‘the privacy protec- embrace. As ECPA reaches another community leaders in support of vic- tions in ECPA are designed to protect milestone, it is important to remember tims of human rights abuses. She legitimate law enforcement needs that Americans continue to face works in one of Colombia’s most dan- while minimizing intrusions on the pri- threats to their digital privacy. I hope gerous regions, the Eastern Plains, vacy of system users as well as the that all Senators will join me in sup- which has long been plagued by vio- business needs of electronic commu- porting the Electronic Communica- lence spurred by the illegal narcotics nications system providers.’’ During tions Privacy Act Amendments Act trade. the last three decades, ECPA has be- and that the Senate will pass this bill Ms. Rey knows the risks. Four years come the premier law for protecting without delay. ago this month, she was shot and seri- Americans from unauthorized govern- f ously wounded while returning from a ment intrusions into their private elec- community meeting. She is also the tronic communications. TRIBUTE TO HEDY RATNER AND sole survivor of the original Meta Com- When Congress enacted ECPA, email CAROL DOUGAL mittee members, who, throughout the was a novelty and no one imagined how Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I rise 1990s, were systematically assas- prevalent it would become in our daily today to thank two exceptional women sinated, leaving her to carry out her communication let alone how long it who have been strong advocates for so- advocacy work alone. Four years after might be stored. But after almost three cial justice and for the advancement of nearly losing her life, she presses on, decades, new technologies—such as the women’s business ownership in the conducting investigations, providing Internet, social networking sites and State of Illinois, across America, and support to victims, and working to re- cloud computing—have changed how beyond. build the Meta Committee. Americans use and store email. Storing Hedy Ratner and Carol Dougal have In addition to recognizing Islena Rey, documents and other information elec- recently stepped down after working 27 the organization presented Father tronically has become much less expen- years as the founders and co-presidents Alejandro Angulo Novoa with the Life sive and mobile technologies permit of the Women’s Business Development Long Defender award for his contribu- users to access stored documents wher- Center, WBDC. The WBDC is the first, tions to human rights in Colombia over ever and whenever they choose. As a and largest, nonprofit organization the past 4 decades. Father Alejandro is result, the digital privacy protections that provides services to encourage one of the founders of the Center for put in place 27 years ago have not kept women’s business ownership across the Research and Popular Education in pace with new technologies. United States.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 01:24 Oct 29, 2013 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G28OC6.023 S28OCPT1 tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with SENATE October 28, 2013 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7571 When the WBDC was founded in 1986, and communication systems that will TRIBUTE TO DR. CHARLES M. less than 10 percent of the businesses in make it possible for the vast expanding VEST the United States were owned and op- knowledge of the gene to be assimi- Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, erated by women. Today, thanks in lated into a computer system and made it is my great privilege to rise today to part to the leadership and encourage- available for distribution to research- recognize the distinguished career of ment provided by Hedy and Carol, ers and to people generally all over the Dr. Charles M. Vest, a native West Vir- there are over 8.6 million women-owned World.’’ ginian, on his retirement as president businesses throughout the country, of the National Academy of Engineer- generating over $1.3 trillion in reve- Soon thereafter, Congress embraced the importance of the biotechnology ing, NAE. In his time at the NAE, Dr. nues this year and employing nearly 7.8 Vest worked tirelessly to identify and field, recognized the pressing need to million people. address the most pressing and impor- harness the large volume of data ema- As a champion for women’s economic tant challenges facing American engi- development, the WBDC has worked to nating from the genetic revolution in neering, including the declining inter- assist tens of thousands of women in science, and endorsed the establish- est in math and science among our Na- entrepreneurial efforts nationwide. ment of NCBI to manage this valuable tion’s students and the growing chal- From business certifications to finan- resource for the benefit of human lenges of information flow among gov- cial assistance workshops, the WBDC health. With strong bipartisan support ernment, the private sector, and aca- provides women business owners with in Congress, Pepper’s bill was enacted demia. As NAE president, Dr. Vest was the training they need to establish and as part of Senator Ted Kennedy’s com- instrumental in urging Congress to expand their businesses. By providing prehensive measure, the Health Omni- pass the America COMPETES Act, women with essential resources to be- bus Extension Programs of 1988, on No- which provided a blueprint for invest- come successful business owners, the vember 4, 1988. ing in critically important scientific WBDC has empowered women and Today, biomedical research encom- and technological pursuits. Dr. Vest helped them achieve economic inde- passing genomic and genetic knowl- also helped craft the Grand Challenges pendence through entrepreneurship. edge is a major driver of medical for Engineering, a global initiative Since its founding in 1986, the WBDC that identifies the greatest challenges progress. The foresight of Congress in has expanded in size and scope from a and opportunities facing engineers establishing the NCBI, combined with two-person operation seeking to ad- today. In this increasingly technology- dress the lack of representation of the innovative leadership of Director based and globalized world, Dr. Vest women in the business sector, to a staff Dr. David Lipman and the expertise of recognized the need for a clear and of 24 full-time employees and contrac- the agency’s dedicated staff, has led to strong national vision for our engi- tors that now influence policies on the the emergence of an impressive na- neers and scientists. He provided the federal, State and local levels. The tional resource for molecular biology dynamic leadership that the NAE re- achievements of Hedy and Carol are information. In June of this year, Dr. quired to allow American engineers to significant, and the positive role of the Lipman was honored by the White compete and thrive in a rapidly evolv- WBDC in supporting women’s entrepre- House with the ‘‘Open Science’’ Cham- ing world. neurship is evident. pions of Change Award for his work at A native of Morgantown, WV, Chuck On behalf of the people of Illinois, I NCBI. By organizing and integrating displayed a clever and inquisitive mind thank Hedy and Carol for their 27 dedi- genomic data for developing diagnostic from a young age. Growing up under cated years with the WBDC and con- and clinical applications, the Center the shadow of Sputnik, he developed a gratulate them on their many con- serves as a bridge from research to the keen interest in electronics and he tributions for women in the business medical community. Each day, more would constantly tinker with surplus sector. I wish both of them the best as than 3 million users access NCBI’s 40 World War II gadgets, such as micro- they continue to inspire and provide interlinked genomic and bibliographic phones and resistors. This curiosity led leadership for women’s entrepreneur- databases and download more than 30 him to West Virginia University where ship in the years to come. terabytes of data. he received a degree in mechanical en- gineering. Chuck continued his edu- f I am proud that Congress has contin- cation at the University of Michigan, ued to support funding for the NCBI NATIONAL CENTER FOR BIO- earning a Ph.D. in mechanical engi- TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION AN- over the past 25 years. Recently, by re- neering; he remained there for 22 years NIVERSARY quiring that the results of NIH-funded as a professor, a dean, and university Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I rise to research be made public through the provost. recognize the 25th anniversary of the Center’s PubMed Central Database, Dr. Vest has since served as a direc- National Center for Biotechnology In- Congress has opened to everyone the tor of DuPont and IBM. He has held po- formation—NCBI—part of the National full text of published journal articles sitions on an array of Federal commit- Library of Medicine at the National In- that are essential to advancing sci- tees and commissions, including the stitutes of Health, America’s world-re- entific research and public health. President’s Council of Advisors on nowned research institution in Be- The biomedical research funded by Science and Technology and as vice thesda, MD. the NIH provides knowledge essential chair of the U.S. Council on Competi- The late Senator Claude Pepper, for to combat debilitating diseases, and tiveness. Chuck has authored three whom a major building on the NIH continuing this research is dependent books, received honorary doctoral de- campus is named, authored six sepa- on the resources and tools that NCBI grees from 18 universities, and was rate laws creating individual institutes has developed so successfully for the awarded the 2006 National Medal of at NIH. In 1987, while a Member of the benefit of the biomedical community. Technology and the 2011 Vannevar House of Representatives and chairman As NIH Director Francis Collins has Bush Award. of the Select Committee on Aging’s noted, we are entering an era of preci- Quite possibly, Dr. Vest’s most im- portant achievements occurred during Subcommittee on Health and Long- sion medicine in which a patient’s ge- Term Care, Pepper introduced H.R. 393, his tenure as president of the Massa- netic makeup may determine the exact the National Biotechnology Informa- chusetts Institute of Technology, MIT. treatment that is provided. Surely, the tion Act, which established the NCBI. In his 14 years at the helm of MIT, Dr. NCBI databases and tools will be need- At a March 1987 hearing on H.R. 393, Vest proved a worthy advocate of more ed on the front lines of this new effort. Pepper explained that ‘‘we are dealing robust communication and sharing with nothing less than the mystery of On the occasion of this 25th anniver- within the science community. Under human life and the unfolding scroll of sary, I ask my colleagues to join me in his extraordinary leadership, MIT knowledge, seeking to penetrate that congratulating Dr. Lipman and the launched its OpenCourseWare initia- mystery, which is life itself.’’ He noted outstanding staff of NCBI, who through tive and cofounded the Alliance for that his bill was intended ‘‘to facilitate their skill and vision have built this Global Sustainability. As he will read- the development of advanced computer unique biomedical resource. ily attest, though, one of Dr. Vest’s

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