Caron Carlson

CAFTA Clears Its Final Hurdle

The controversial Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement narrowly passed the U.S. House of Representatives late last week, prompting predictions of expanded exports by the IT industry and warnings by tech worker representatives of lost jobs. The industry, which had made passage of the agreement, known as DR-CAFTA, a top legislative priority this year, erupted […]

Businesses Fail to Unite Against USA Patriot Act

After nearly four years of sitting on the sidelines, corporate America finally mobilized last week to fight the FBIs expanded powers to demand sensitive customer information. However, persistent cold feet on the part of several business groups scuttled the initiative at the last minute, said sources close to the initiative. Congress is moving rapidly to […]

Legislators Split on Data Privacy Laws

Despite a steady stream of data breaches this year—most recently at CardSystems Solutions Inc.— members of Congress are unable to agree on how to combat the growing threat to consumer privacy, and the roster of divergent proposals grew again last week. “We need to do everything possible to ensure that our personal information remains privileged […]

Patriot Act Reform Outreach Scuttled

Corporate America mobilized this week to break a nearly four-year silence on the FBIs expanded powers to demand sensitive customer information, but persistent cold feet on the part of several business groups killed the initiative at the last minute, sources close to the initiative said. Congress is moving rapidly to renew sections of the 2001 […]

CardSystems to Congress: We Face Imminent Extinction

Despite a steady stream of reported data thefts this year—most recently by CardSystems Solutions Inc.—members of Congress are unable to agree on how to combat the growing threat to consumer privacy. The roster of divergent potential solutions grew again Thursday. “We need to do everything possible to ensure that our personal information remains privileged and […]

Congress at Odds Over Data Breaches

Despite a steady stream of data breach disclosures this year—most recently by CardSystems Solutions Inc. —members of Congress are unable to agree on how to combat the growing threat to consumer privacy, and the roster of divergent measures grew again Thursday. “We need to do everything possible to ensure that our personal information re-mains privileged […]

Bills Extend Patriot Provision

Before Congress leaves Washington for its annual recess next month, both the House and the Senate are expected to vote to renew police powers that were granted in the 2001 Patriot Act and are scheduled to expire at the end of the year. Among the most controversial provisions up for renewal is the FBIs power […]

Simplicity Is Key in VOIP Migration

Explosive growth in the lending industry has come as a boon to Provident Funding Associates LP in recent years. But for the companys small systems group, led by Jason Lukitsch, the boon brought a logistical nightmare: how to administer disparate telephone systems at a growing number of small branch offices coast to coast. Many of […]

DHS Shakes Things Up

The near-complete overhaul of the Department of Homeland Security, announced last week by department Secretary Michael Chertoff, may finally give the countrys cyber-security chief the power and authority needed to make real improvements, according to experts. A new Assistant Secretary for Cyber Security and Telecommunications will be responsible for assessing the security of critical telecommunications […]

CAFTAs Value to IT Debated

Senators who approved the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement late last month championed it as a way to reduce tariffs on American-made goods, but the governments own International Trade Commission found that its impact on the gross domestic product would be too small to register. “CAFTA, by all accounts, has minimal benefits for our […]