Iowa Congressman Leonard Boswell says he’ll soon introduce legislation to block the sale of cellphone records. Boswell says, “This bill would forbid the sale and transfer of cellular telephone records, and sets tough criminal penalties for violating phone user’s privacy. Although current prohibits fraud and identity theft using the internet illegally it does not specifically bar the sale of personal information obtained illegally or without the consent of cellphone users.”
Boswell, a democrat, says the cellphone information is available on-line. He says the electronic privacy information center says the cellphone information is available on at least 40 websites. Boswell says his bill is similar to one introduced by Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois.
On another topic, Boswell says he has some concerns about the budget President Bush is proposing, particularly cuts to Medicaid. Boswell says the cuts are a hit on the states, and he says the cuts also hit Medicare, cut benefits to veterans and education programs. Boswell says the education programs are important — and shouldn’t be cut. He says education is “our future” and our security and leadership for tomorrow and he can’t understand why we’d want to make cuts to education. Boswell says he hopes some of the cuts will be reversed as Congress goes through the budget.