Patrick Leahy: “the reason for this amendment--and I realize we will not vote on it today and we may vote on it tomorrow, although it…”

“the reason for this amendment--and I realize we will not vote on it today and we may vote on it tomorrow, although it may well be accepted--is one of the facts we have today. The bankruptcy process requires the submission of many documents containing highly personal information. But we must be careful that our efforts to require documentation for accuracy and accountability do not inadvertently create problems for privacy and security. We are in an age where personal information can be easily digitized and shared, and when it falls into the wrong hands, easily abused. Identity theft is one danger. We have only to look to the recent debacle of Choicepoint selling the personal data of 145,000 individuals to scam artists. Many of these individuals have already become victims of identity theft, and they are not alone. Last year alone, 9.3 million people were victimized by identity theft. Another danger is tracking or harassing a former battered spouse. We need to minimize these possibilities, while still allowing for accountability.”