| Senator Maria Cantwell’s Weekly Update for Washington State | Monday, January 23, 2006 |
Ending the Unauthorized Sale of Private Cell Phone Records
Online data brokers openly advertise their ability and willingness to obtain and sell any individual’s cell phone records—no questions asked. That’s why we need commonsense laws to protect the privacy of all Americans. When phone records containing personal information about calls to doctors, therapists, business associates, and private relationships are up for grabs on the internet, there’s a serious problem. We need to stop the growing black market for private cell phone records immediately, and I’m calling for new consumer protections that would make it a federal crime for anyone to obtain, or attempt to obtain, another person’s confidential phone records without authorization. Last week, I joined Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY), Arlen Specter (R-PA), and Bill Nelson (D-FL) to close existing loopholes and protect millions of American consumers from the growing black market sale of cell phone call logs.
Current telecommunications regulations have failed to keep sensitive consumer phone records from being offered to the public. Without additional privacy safeguards, online data brokers will continue selling private records without giving it a second thought. That’s why I’ve cosponsored the bipartisan “Consumer Telephone Records Protection Act of 2006,” which would make it a federal crime for anyone to obtain or attempt to obtain a person’s confidential phone records without authorization, and would ban making false statements and the providing of false documents to gain access to private records. It would also punish those who attempt to access these records by breaking into a phone customer’s on-line account. Finally, it would stop people—including data brokers or any employee of a company who provides telephone service—from intentionally selling confidential phone records. Americans deserve dependable protections, and I will fight to make sure sensitive personal information, including cell phone records, remains private and secure.
Getting Seniors the Medications They Need
Last week, I joined Senator Jay Rockefeller and others to introduce legislation that would help get life-saving medication to low-income and disabled seniors struggling under the new Medicare drug program. Our bill would reduce the burden currently placed on pharmacies, help them clearly identify Medicare beneficiaries, add protections for low income seniors, and guarantee seniors access to a 30-day transitional supply of prescription drugs. This critically important legislation comes at a time when seniors across our state have spent hours trying to figure out this muddled mess. Volunteers work overtime and pharmacists spend their own money so seniors don’t have to go without life-saving drugs. This bill will put in place commonsense fixes to help get seniors the medication they need and the care they were promised.
Rejecting Cuts to Student Aid
It’s wrong to look for extra savings in the pockets of our poorest students, but that’s exactly what the administration is trying to do. The pending Budget Reconciliation bill would increase interest rates and fees paid by parents, while reducing subsidies to lenders. The result is a $12.7 billion cut to student aid. Over the coming decade, more than 15 million undergraduates will attend U.S. colleges—one in five from families living in poverty. If we want to keep opportunity alive, we cannot drop thousands of dollars in extra costs directly on the backs of students and parents struggling to make tuition payments. That’s why I’m joining Congressional colleagues and education professionals to demand continued federal support for student aid.
Today, I joined Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Congressmen Jay Inslee (D-WA) and Jim McDermott (D-WA), and University of Washington President Mark Emmert to call for continued investment in our nation’s young people. Many of today’s undergraduates are the first in their families to attend college. I know what that’s like. With the help of federal Pell Grants, and a lot of hard work, I was the first in my family to graduate from college. At the time, Pell Grants covered 35 percent of costs. Now, the average Pell Grant covers less than 25 percent of tuition, fees, room, and board. We need to continue investing in our nation’s future, and I will continue fighting on behalf of hard-working students and families.
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