Political News from Wired News - Privacy Laws: Not Gonna Happen. Privacy legislation may not happen after all in Congress this year, because legislators are taking a cautious approach toward new regulations.

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But a combination of factors -- including widespread disagreement on Capitol Hill about what form legislation should take, increasingly vocal opposition from business groups, and concern that intervention might harm the economy -- could derail the best efforts of privacy advocates.

GOP leaders are taking a cautious approach. One hint about how Congress will proceed comes from a hearing on Thursday before the House telecommunications subcommittee.

Six experts, all lawyers, were asked to speak at the event, titled "Privacy in the Commercial World." Four witnesses opposed new regulations or advised extreme caution in the area, and only two witnesses argued for action by Congress.

InfoWorld - Congress readying privacy moves.

Along with considering broad new online privacy measures, discussion at the hearing also moved to the regulations now being formulated around health care and financial privacy initiatives enacted during the Clinton administration.

Of particular interest to subcommittee members was the new delay surrounding HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).

Although HIPPA was enacted last year, regulations to be issued around HIPPA were put on hold recently by the Bush administration.

Several sources said the health care industry is lobbying intensely at the Health and Human Services Department to get relief from some of HIPPA's provisions.