Cannon Hails Passage of Bill to Protect Phone Records

Cannon Hails Passage of Bill to Protect Phone Records

WASHINGTON, DC— The House of Representatives today passed H.R. 4709, the Law Enforcement and Phone Privacy Protection Act of 2006 by a vote of 409 to 0. Congressman Cannon is an original sponsor of the legislation. This bipartisan legislation will protect the privacy of citizens and law enforcement officials by creating new criminal penalties for fraudulently obtaining and disclosing of confidential cell phone records.

"This is an extremely important piece of legislation for people who are concerned about their privacy. The practice of selling this confidential information is abhorrent, and the fact that many so-called companies are abandoning the practice out of fear of this bill shows the need for this legislation," said Cannon.

The legislation covers parties who obtain (or attempt to obtain) confidential phone records by intentionally making false or fraudulent statements or accessing data over the Internet without authorization, with penalties being up to 20 years of imprisonment and monetary fines of up to $500,000. It would provide for up to $1 million in fines and an additional five years in prison for organizations involved in "aggravated cases."

H.R. 4709 does not hinder legitimate law enforcement efforts to obtain information if a lawful request has been made in advance.

http://chriscannon.house.gov/Press2006/04-25-2006.htm