IP: Tech Cos. Push Terror Legislation

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

----
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47458-2002Jul10.html

Tech Cos. Push Terror Legislation

By D. Ian Hopper
AP Technology Writer
Wednesday, July 10, 2002; 2:02 AM

WASHINGTON –– The companies making new homeland security devices, such as
bomb detectors and biological weapon alarms,
want the government to pick up the tab if their products fail and they are
sued.

And in the midst of an aggressive lobbying blitz, they have found a key
ally in Congress.

Rep. Tom Davis, the fourth ranking Republican in the House and head of a
key subcommittee on technology and federal contracting,
plans to have the provision attached to the Homeland Security authorization
bill making its way through Congress.

His amendment would indemnify defense and technology contractors who make
the devices so that the government would pick up the tab
for any liability judgments that exceed the contractor's insurance coverage.

The industry helped draft a version of the plan, and has sent executives to
Capitol Hill to make its case. The technology industry also has
been generous to Davis – with more than $120,000 in donations going to him
since January of last year. Davis represents a district in
northern Virginia, a region that boasts numerous defense and technology
companies.

The pitch from the contractors is straightforward – companies that develop
new antiterrorism technologies with life-and-death
consequences could be driven out of business if they are sued due to a
product failure.

"There needs to be a backup mechanism from the government otherwise the
company is betting the company every time it bids on one of
these contracts," said Harris Miller, president of the Information
Technology Association of America.

The trade group represents many of the government's largest contractors,
including EDS Corp. and IBM.

Defense contractor Northrop Grumman, another backer of the legislation,
said that it may not be able to bid on a Postal Service contract
for a biohazard detection device unless the company is indemnified.

"The unintended consequence of even a single failure in a well-intended
system or device we might provide could result in significant legal
exposure that could financially ruin a company," Northrop Grumman president
Ronald D. Sugar said in congressional testimony delivered
last month.

Davis' office said his amendment is needed to ensure companies are willing
to take the risk in developing and deploying new technologies
critical to Americans' safety.

"Davis's legislation will be based on the premise that Congress should
ensure the availability of technologies that could make people and
facilities across the nation less vulnerable to terrorist threats,"
spokesman David Marin said.

There is no limit on what the government may have to pay out, but there
would be no federal payment if there was "willful misconduct" by
the contractor.

Consumer groups are wary about the message the plan could send to corporate
America.

"I assume Americans want the very best out there," said Bob Hunter, an
insurance expert at the Consumer Federation of America. "One
of the ways we get the very best is that people are liable if they don't
produce the best. To have the taxpayer on the hook instead of the
company will lead to less quality."

Still, there is some precedent for the Davis legislation.

The government can already indemnify contractors against claims when it
buys technology for its own use, such as in national defense. But
there is no such protection if the products are sold to commercial
purchasers – like an airport or office building – or to state and local
governments.

Miller, of the technology trade association, said the legislation is no
different than the payments made to the families of those killed in last
year's terrorist attacks.

"The people would demand that the government pay for it anyhow," Miller
said. "We might as well formalize the process up front."

For archives see:
http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/