27 Association of Research Libraries Research Library Issues 297 2019 attention to federal privacy legislation will undoubtedly continue as this issue has the support of Congressional leadership. The Senate Commerce Committee chair Roger Wicker (R-MS) has expressed support for enacting a federal privacy law in 2019 ranking member Maria Cantwell (D-WA) has similarly been engaged on privacy issues and has supported legislation to protect privacy rights of consumers. House Committee on Energy and Commerce chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) noted support for comprehensive federal legislation ranking member Greg Walden (R-OR) pointed out last year that state privacy legislation “has heightened calls for federal privacy legislation” and encouraged the technology industry to come to a unified position.18 A wide range of stakeholders, including businesses, consumers, academics, and advocates support efforts to enact federal privacy legislation, though the right approach to federal privacy laws and nuances to a federal framework is contentious. Nevertheless, given the urgency in addressing data privacy and security with strong bipartisan support, privacy legislation could be enacted this year. Indeed, as Senator John Thune (R-SD) noted as chair of the Senate Commerce Committee in the last Congress, legislative efforts abroad and in the states “have all combined to put the issue of consumer data privacy squarely on Congress’s doorstep. The question is no longer whether we need a federal law to protect consumers’ privacy. The question is what shape it should take.”19 (emphasis added) Beginning in late 2018, numerous bills and discussion drafts—from members of Congress, businesses, and advocates—were introduced. Below are some of the most prominent drafts, which could potentially provide the starting point for discussions. In general, these proposals would shift the burden away from the current model, which requires consumers to proactively manage their data to a system that would A wide range of stakeholders, including businesses, consumers, academics, and advocates support efforts to enact federal privacy legislation.
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