Gary Condit: “I rise in support of the recommittal motion and am opposed to H.R. 10. Let me simply just say the reason that I oppose…”

“I rise in support of the recommittal motion and am opposed to H.R. 10. Let me simply just say the reason that I oppose H.R. 10 and support the motion to recommit is section 351. This section of the bill should have been deleted. The privacy part related to medical records is inadequate. It does not have consumer consent. The definition of the consent under this section on page 371 is too vague. The health research part of the bill creates loopholes for drug companies and marketing firms. Patients rights, they simply do not exist; no access to a person's own health records. A person cannot even get their own records and have control over them. There is no redress if a person's privacy is violated; no restrictions on third party entities from disclosing personal information to marketing firms or other parties. We ought to do this right on behalf of the American people. It is important that we do this bill H.R. 10, but it is not more important than us protecting people's privacy. That should be our main thrust in this bill is to make sure that the people of this country can count on us to protect their privacy.”