From: "Vladimir Z. Nuri" <vznuri@netcom.com>
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1998 16:13:31 +0800
To: cypherpunks@cyberpass.net
Subject: digital sig bill
Message-ID: <199809070809.BAA08498@netcom13.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain




------- Forwarded Message

To: believer@telepath.com
From: believer@telepath.com
Subject: IP: About Digital Signature Bill

09/05/98 0752

Source:  US Newswire
http://www.usnewswire.com/topnews/Current_Releases/0904-138.txt

Abraham Urges Senate to Pass Digital Signature Bill 
U.S. Newswire
4 Sep 17:30

 Abraham Urges Senate to Pass Digital Signature Bill Next Week
 To: National Desk
 Contact: Joe McMonigle of the Office of U.S. Sen. Spencer Abraham,
          202-224-8833

   WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 /U.S. Newswire/ -- While President Clinton
used a visit in Ireland today to digitally sign an electronic
commerce agreement with Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern on a laptop
computer, U.S. Sen. Spencer Abraham (R-Mich.) urged his colleagues in
the Senate to pass his legislation requiring federal agencies to
start allowing the public to do the same.

   S.2107, the Government Paperwork Elimination Act, would require
federal agencies to make versions of their forms available online and
allow people to submit these forms with digital signatures instead of
handwritten ones.  It also sets up a process by which commercially
developed digital signatures can be used in submitting forms to the
government and permits the digital storage of federal documents.

   "If it's okay for President Clinton and Prime Minister Ahern, it
should also be okay for the federal government to recognize the
digital signature of ordinary Americans," Abraham said.  "This
legislation will bring the federal government into the electronic
age, in the process saving American individuals and companies
millions of dollars and hundreds of hours currently wasted on
government paperwork," Abraham said.  "Each and every year, Americans
spend in excess of $600 billion simply filing out, documenting and
handling government paperwork.  This huge loss of time and money
constitutes a significant drain on our economy and we must bring it
under control."

   "By providing individuals and companies with the option of
electronic filing and storage, this bill will reduce the paperwork
burden imposed by government on the American people and the American
economy.  It will allow people to move from printed forms they must
fill out using typewriters or handwriting to digitally-based forms
that can be filled out using a word processor.  This savings in time,
storage and postage will be enormous," said Abraham.

   The Government Paperwork Elimination Act would:

   -- Require the federal government make available its forms online
and allow citizens to sign forms by the use of digital signatures.

   -- Direct the Commerce Department to conduct a study of the impact
of this Act on the use of digital signatures for electronic commerce
and on individual privacy.

   -- Allow Executive Agencies 18 months to establish a method for
agencies to put forms online.  The forms must be able to be filled
out, signed and filed with the agency electronically.

   -- Work to develop a system whereby fees and payments associated
with the forms can also be submitted at the same time.  For example,
a citizen could use their tax software to create all the information
necessary for filling out their tax forms, fill in the IRS online
form, submit it and any indicated payments, and immediately receive a
tax receipt.

   -- Enable the federal government to allow its employees to have
digital signatures for use with citizens and allow agencies to use
electronic notice where written notice had been required, if the
citizen prefers electronic notice.

   -- Establish that a digital signature will have legal standing.

   -- Provide that Administration guidelines and procedures for
electronic signatures that are used for the government forms that are
compatible with those the private sector will be using for commerce,
and specifies that any system used by the government must be industry
and technology neutral.

   -- State that if an employer is required to collect, file and
store paper forms that are completed by employees, that electronic
storage will likely be accepted.

   -- Allow the government five years to implement these provisions.

   "The information age is no longer new.  We are in the midst of a
revolution in the way people do business and maintain records.  The
Government Paperwork Elimination Act will force Washington to catch
up with these developments, and release our businesses from the drag
of an obsolete bureaucracy as they pursue further innovations," said
Abraham.

   Co-sponsors of the Paperwork Elimination Act include Sens. Ron
Wyden (D-Ore.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Trent Lott
(R-Miss.), Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), and Conrad Burns (R-Mont.)

 -0-
 /U.S. Newswire  202-347-2770/
 09/04 17:30

Copyright 1998, U.S. Newswire
- -----------------------
NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is
distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior
interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and
educational purposes only. For more information go to:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
- -----------------------




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