Political Quotes

“Last year Congress created a zone of privacy that blacks out the transfer of personal medical information. There should be a sign above one's medical information that reads, ``Do not enter.'' It has been a bipartisan effort. On Monday, a Federal judge interpreted that law to mean that the Justice Department's demands for medical records from university hospitals, like Northwestern University in Chicago, was an undue intrusion on patients' rights. Federal and State laws already on the books prevent that kind of intrusive breach. Congressional action last year to black out sharing confidential health records further solidified bipartisan support for medical privacy for all Americans, and I am pleased that in the last 48 hours, the Justice Department has decided to withdraw their subpoena and information request from the hospitals who have stood strong in the face of this intrusion of privacy by the Federal Government. As William Safire of The New York Times this morning noted, ``a balance must be struck between protecting all of us and protecting each one of us.'' Mr. Speaker, guaranteeing Americans their medical privacy is a critical first step toward that goal.”