ACLU Vote Recommendation on Foster-Kelly Amendment #20 to Minibus Appropriations Bill (Unique Health Identifier)

In this vote recommendation, the ACLU urged Members of the House of Representatives to vote "NO" on Amendment #20 offered by Representatives Foster (IL) and Kelly (PA) to the FY 2020 minibus appropriations bill, H.R. 2740. This amendment would strike an important provision in the underlying bill that blocks the Department of Health and Human Services from spending funds to promulgate regulations for the adoption of a unique health identifier for an individual unless Congress approves the standards.

The amendment could provide the foundations for a national medical I.D. system and permit inadequate unique health identifier regulations to move forward without Congressional approval.