SYMPOSIUM HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE 16TH ANNUAL HIPAA SUMMIT, AUGUST 18 – 21, 2008

Washington, Aug 18, 2008 - Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Ocala) will provide the keynote address at the Privacy Symposium held at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, on August 18 – 21, 2008. Stearns, a senior member of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, is a leader in Congress on the privacy issue. The Symposium is sponsored by the Health Care Administrators Conference (HCCA), which provides educational opportunities on health issues.

As Chairman of the Commerce, Trade & Consumer Protection Subcommittee, Stearns held a series of hearings on privacy, the most comprehensive review of the issue. He followed with legislation to protect personal privacy and held additional hearings on identity theft and the security of personal information. S tearns is currently Republican Leader of the House Telecommunications Subcommittee, which recently held a hearing on the collection of consumer information regarding marketing behavior.

“As Americans, we cherish our privacy and we need to ensure the protection of our personal information,” said Stearns. “The latest technology has created the information age, but this technology can be used to undermine our privacy. I am continuing to work in Congress to develop comprehensive legislation that fills in the gaps in current privacy legislation. I look forward to discussing privacy trends, the threats to our privacy, and congressional efforts to protect the Americans people.” Stearns keynote remarks are available on his web site at www.house.gov/stearns