The Tipping Point for Health IT is not about funding or even bureaucracy: it’s about PATIENTS trusting that their most personal information will be protected.

Washington, DC: The bi-partisan Coalition for Patient Privacy is back on the steps of the Capitol urging Congress to restore basic privacy protections; only this year they have doubled their membership and included health IT corporations, big and small. As everyone races to build electronic health records systems without ironclad federal privacy protections, the ACLU, AIDS Action, the American Association for People with Disabilities, American Conservative Union, Family Research Council, Patient Privacy Rights, Consumer Action, Microsoft Corp., Inc. and many more ask Congress to step to the plate and set national privacy standards. Three-fourths of the American public want Congress, not unelected bureaucrats or the whims of the market, to ensure our right to health privacy is protected in electronic systems and yet we still have no Federal statutory right to health privacy.

“The idea that the federal government can comb through the medical records of Americans and label them “mentally defective” is truly chilling,” said Liberty Coalition second amendment policy expert Mike Stollenwerk. “Such labeling is a gross violation of privacy rights and is ripe with potential for abuse.”

The bill, originally introduced by Rep. Brady Wiseman, states that REAL ID Act would be an unfunded federal mandate of over $2.5 billion dollars on Montana taxpayers while creating a serious danger of identity theft due to the collection of citizens personal information in one centralized, federal database. The legislation goes on to state that REAL ID is a violation of the 10th Amendment to the Constitution and the principles of American federalism.

"The FBI has clearly abused its power and violated the constitutional rights of tens of thousands of Americans. These actions must not be tolerated in a free society," said Liberty Coalition national director Michael Ostrolenk. "While enhanced public scrutiny and Congressional oversight are a good first step, they are not enough to protect our Nation's liberty from abusive, unchecked power. Congress must act to stop the issuance of National Security Letters!"

applauds yesterday’s launch of the American Freedom Agenda (AFA). A cooperative effort of deeply respected conservative leaders Bruce Fein, Bob Barr, David Keene and Richard Viguery, AFA’s mission is to enact legislation that restores “the Constitution’s checks and balances” and makes the subject “a staple of political campaigns and of foremost concern to Members of Congress and to voters and educators.”

“National Security Letters are a clear and dangerous violation of Americans’ expectation of privacy in their financial, communications and insurance records unless they have done something wrong,” said Liberty Coalition national director Michael Ostrolenk. “If Director Mueller wants to uphold both his word and duty, he will not oppose reforms of this intrusive, unchecked power.”

“Mrs. Edmonds is not a national security threat but a national hero and the American public deserves to hear the truth of her case. Congress must act and act now by having public hearings. Without them, the cover-ups and criminal activities will just continue.” Said Michael Ostrolenk, National Director of the Liberty Coalition.

“The failure to address Special Agents Graham’s complaint points to a major failure of oversight,” said Liberty Coalition National Director Michael Ostrolenk. “Our Nation’s security demands that allegations like this do not slip through the cracks, or worse, fall victim to cover up.”