Date: Wed, 13 Oct 1999 23:14:04 -0400 (EDT)
Message-Id: <199910140314.XAA24223@mattababy.mit.edu>
From: belmonte@mit.edu (Matthew Belmonte)
To: john_kerry@kerry.senate.gov
Subject: S 900 - HR 10 conference committee

Dear Senator Kerry

I write to you in view of your membership in the House-Senate conference
committee considering HR 10 and S 900, the banking reform legislation that
would remove existing barriers between banks, securities dealers, and insurance 
companies.  It's crucial that the final version of this legislation include
adequate safeguards on privacy, of the sorts articulated in the Markey and
Paul-Barr-Campbell amendments proposed earlier this year in the House.  As a
computer professional, I know how easy it is for large corporations to apply
information technology to cross-reference data on many aspects of individuals'
lives.  The current barriers to consolidation prevent such probing from getting
out of hand.  When those barriers disappear, they must be replaced by strong
safeguards on the privacy of financial and other data.  I hope you'll use your
position on the conference committee to work for that goal.