10-02-1999

TRANSPORTATION: You Can Drive My Car, But Hands Off My License

House and Senate conferees agreed on Sept. 29 on a $50.1 billion
Transportation appropriations bill (H.R. 2084) after a lengthy debate over
the sanctity of driver's licenses.


State motor-vehicle records are a gold mine to marketing and business
interests, which are willing to pay for access to the information they
contain. But Sen. Richard C. Shelby, R-Ala., fearing that motorists'
privacy would be invaded, demanded that the Transportation bill block
states from disseminating personal data and photographs from driver's
licenses, unless motorists give their written consent.


Rep. Sonny Callahan, R-Ala., wanted to exempt warranty firms that use the
information to contact new car buyers. He noted that insurance companies
received preferential treatment, because they would be exempt from the
prohibition. But Shelby drove his proposal through the conference like a
Mack truck, and House negotiators yielded the right of way.


Despite some grumbling from the White House, Democrats said that President
Clinton would probably sign the legislation when it reaches his desk. But
the bill faces opposition from House Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee Chairman Bud Shuster, R-Pa., who is said to be unhappy with some
of its legislative provisions.


The bill allocates $28.9 billion to the Federal Highway Administration,
about $1.5 billion more than the fiscal 1999 amount and $389 million more
than the President's request. The Federal Aviation Administration would
receive more than $10 billion, about $518 million more than the current
budget year provision, but $50 million less than the White House request.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stayed on course with
$368 million, which is about even with the current budget, but about $38
million less than the President wanted.


Meanwhile, in the hope-springs-eternal category, Sen. Robert Bennett,
R-Utah, tried to shift about $140 million in the bill to help out Salt
Lake City's preparation for the 2002 Olympics. Bennett quickly abandoned
the quest, however, when it became clear that there were no sports fans
among the conferees, or at least not any willing to give money to the
scandal-plagued effort in Utah.


Bill Ghent

National Journal