Technology

Be it a "wardrobe malfunction" or a fake news report, the American people lose when programming and editorial decisions are moved out of our communities and into corporate boardrooms. The health of our democracy depends on media outlets that are responsive to local needs, receptive to diverse views, and responsible stewards of the public airwaves.

By now, it should be clear as day that the FCC's attempts to loosen U.S. media ownership rules threaten these values. In 2003, when the Commission tried to railroad through major rules changes with minimal public input, it was met with ardent opposition by millions of Americans from across the political spectrum, Members of Congress from both parties, and groups ranging from the National Rifle Association to MoveOn.org. In 2004, a U.S. Circuit Court echoed this outcry, calling portions of the rules "irrational" and "patently unreasonable" and sending the FCC back to the drawing board.

If further proof was needed, we received it last week in the form of revelations that the FCC may have suppressed two taxpayer-funded studies on the impact of media consolidation. The first study concluded that local TV stations air more local news than stations owned by networks or media conglomerates, directly contradicting arguments made by the FCC during the 2003 debate. The second found that the number of radio station owners fell by 35 percent between 1996 and 2003, offering further evidence of consolidation in that industry.

I recently authored a letter, cosigned by 33 colleagues, urging the FCC Inspector General to investigate this matter. If the FCC can't be trusted to present the results of its own studies to the American public, how can it be trusted to act in the public's interest when it comes to ownership of our airwaves?

My bill requires timely notice to individuals whose sensitive personal information could be compromised by a breach of data security at federal agencies. Until now, there has been no requirement that people be notified if their information is compromised. Under this legislation, the Administration must establish procedures for agencies to follow if sensitive personal information is lost or stolen and there is a reasonable risk of harm to an individual. And we provide a clear definition of the type of sensitive information we're trying to protect.

Next, we give the agency Chief Information Officers the authority to ensure, when appropriate, that agency personnel comply with the information security laws already on the books.

Finally, we ensure that costly equipment containing potentially sensitive information is accounted for and secure. Half of the lost Census Bureau computers simply were not returned by departing or terminated employees. The agency did not track computer equipment, nor were employees held accountable for failing to return it. This is taxpayer funded equipment, containing sensitive information, and we need to know what we have and who has it at all times.

This bill is a first step, and I'm glad it's going to be attached to Chairman Buyer's VA legislation today. But if new policies and procedures are not forthcoming quickly, or if they lack the teeth to get the job done, I will revisit this matter with additional legislation.

It should not have taken a request from Congress for this information to reach the light of day.

The American people deserve better from their government.  If we're going to ask and sometimes demand information from the public, we owe them a better way of knowing when that information goes missing.  And a far better way of securing that information in the first place.

The sad reality is, we are incapable of storing, moving, accessing and securing information.  We spend tens of billions of dollars a year on information technology.  You'd think we could secure information by now. But we are still an analog government in a digital economy and culture. It's time for that to change, before people lose confidence entirely in our ability to protect them.

Rep. Tom Davis is chairman of the House Government Reform Committee.

As we search for lasting ways to meet our nation’s energy needs, we must make every possible effort to encourage the use of renewable biofuels, and the manufacture of fuel-efficient vehicles.

My tax credit proposal for flexible fuel hybrid vehicles (FFHVs) does both. On the road today, you have flexible fuel cars that can run on E85, regular gasoline, or any combination of the two; and you have hybrid vehicles that use electricity to cut down on gas use. In January, Ford Motor Company unveiled the world’s first vehicle combining the flex fuel and the hybrid technologies. The company is currently researching the marriage of these two systems, and the vehicle is expected to be market-ready soon. While Ford is currently the only car maker that is marketing flex fuel hybrid vehicles, others are expected to follow.

It is important we provide incentives for people to buy these cars. Ford estimates that if 5% of the vehicles on the road in the U.S. were flex fuel hybrids, we would eliminate the need for 140 million barrels of imported oil a year. If we make it easier for consumers to purchase FFHVs, we make it more attractive for companies like Ford (a U.S. company, I might add) to make them.

That’s what my tax credit proposal is all about. Its basic structure is like that of the hybrid credit in the EP Act of 2005: the more fuel efficient the car, the higher the credit, up to $3,500.

If we are serious about weaning this country off of imported oil, passing measures like this is a common sense start.

I was proud to attend the bill signing ceremony for the Adam
Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act. This comprehensive legislation is unprecedented in its aim to protect children from predators in the classroom, reduce and prevent gang violence and to protect those public officials and their families who often find themselves exposed to the most ruthless criminals in the United States. As part of our Suburban Agenda, the School Safety Acquiring Faculty Excellence Act is included in the enacted law. The provision will give schools access to federal databases to help keep pedophiles and violent criminals out of our classrooms. This legislation is a major victory for America's most valuable citizens - our children. ". This comprehensive legislation is unprecedented in its aim to protect children from predators in the classroom, reduce and prevent gang violence and to protect those public officials and their families who often find themselves exposed to the most ruthless criminals in the United States. As part of our Suburban Agenda, the School Safety Acquiring Faculty Excellence Act is included in the enacted law. The provision will give schools access to federal databases to help keep pedophiles and violent criminals out of our classrooms. This legislation
is a major victory for America's most valuable citizens - our children.

Last week a hard-fought political struggle ended for me when President Bush signed my sex offender registration bill into law. This act strengthens penalties against sex offenders and authorizes better tools for tracking the monsters who stalk our children.

The ceremony came on a day of very mixed emotions. In my home state of Utah, police had just discovered the murdered body of 5-year-old Destiny Norton in her neighbor's basement. Her death is a dark reminder that we need to do more to protect our children.

With this new law, we will. We sent a message that we will not forgive unforgivable crimes.

Child abuse is certainly not new, but new technology has expanded the way predators can reach their victims. This law, named The Adam Walsh Act, after the murdered son of "America's Most Wanted" host John Walsh, will address the horror of child exploitation on the Internet. The act dramatically increases penalties for those who download child pornography.

Some have compared the Internet to an "open game preserve" where sex offenders can prey on vulnerable children, meeting them in chat rooms and luring them into horrible situations.

Pedophiles use the web to hunt our children. After working for years with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and others, my House colleagues - notably Rep. Mark Foley - and I introduced a bill that would use the web to hunt the predators.

The act creates a nationwide database so parents, law enforcement, and others can know if convicted offenders are in their neighborhoods. We already have sex offender websites, but such sites are frequently out of date and inaccurate. Before Adam Walsh, frankly, we tracked library books in this country better than we did sex offenders. Once we catch these guys, we can't let them get away. And those we catch, we won't go soft on. Read more...

I’m glad Japan has made a science-based decision to reopen its market to imports of beef from cattle aged 20 months or younger.  Millions of Americans consume beef everyday.  We know this product is safe.  Japanese consumers will once again be able to enjoy U.S. beef.  Our trade representative and agriculture secretary worked hard to help make this happen.  I also encourage scientists from the United States and Japan to continue working together to resolve differences that prevent beef from the United States that’s over 20 months from being shipped to Japan.  In the end, I hope today’s news is a major first step toward the full resumption of beef trade with Japan.

As a nurse, I know first hand the need for substantial improvement in the use of Health Information Technology (HIT) in America's Health Care facilities, and I want to see the expanded use of health information technology, such as electronic medical records.  I know that expanded use of HIT holds great promise for facilitating better care, reducing medical errors, and eliminating burdensome paperwork.



Unfortunately, the bill the House will consider today has a glaring omission - it has no privacy protection for patients.  That means your personal, sensitive health information is vulnerable to theft or abuse. That also means there is no recourse you could take to hold individuals accountable for improperly obtaining or disclosing your most personal information.


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Nearly 5 years after 9/11, the United States remains vulnerable to a
widespread cyber attack, which has the potential to disrupt
telecommunications networks, power, water and sewage systems, chemical
manufacturing and transportation systems.

Despite this risk, the Department of Homeland Security has still not
appointed a cyber security expert to the post of assistant-secretary. The
position has been vacant for about one year.

Terrorism experts have indicated that groups like al Qaeda are increasingly
focusing on ways to destroy the economy of the United States. And a cyber
attack could devastate the national economy and wreak havoc on the nation's
cyber infrastructure.

Remember that the 2003 blackout, in which much of the Northeastern United
States lost power for over 24 hours, exposed the dramatic impact such an
event could have on the economy. For example, the economic impact on New
York City alone was estimated at least $1 billion, not including the
additional millions lost due to overtime pay for the recovery and the lost
sales tax revenues.

That's why I've called for Congressional hearings, which will help shine a
light on the need for action and serve as a springboard for implementing a
comprehensive cyber security plan.

The recent theft of a laptop computer containing the birth dates and Social Security numbers of millions of veterans and military personnel underscores the need to provide our veterans with adequate protection against identify theft and fraud.  Last Thursday, I introduced H.R. 5783, of which I call the Veterans' Identity and Fraud Protection Act of 2006 to assist veterans whose personal data has been compromised.  In short, the legislation provides veterans with a number of services needed to effectively recover from identity theft and fraud.


Unlike other legislative proposals aimed at helping victims of fraud or theft, H.R. 5783 would expressly provide veterans with up to $30,000 of identity theft insurance, in addition access to fraud resolution services.  This is the only introduced legislation that provides veterans with risk insurance.  The bill would also require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to notify any veteran whose personal data has been lost or stolen.  H.R. 5783 would give veterans access to up to 12 months of credit reporting and monitoring services as well as having the option to put a credit alert and security freeze on their credit record.  Our veterans deserve the safety and security of knowing that the federal government will take vigorous actions to protect our veterans’ identity and credit standing.