Florida Sen. Bill Nelson sent a letter to the Navy asking it to have a meeting with a Florida company that wants to put radio frequency identification chips under the arms of U.S. military personnel, a Congressional aide said.
Nelson’s spokesman, Dan McLaughlin, said the senator only asked the Navy “to evaluate” VeriChip Corp.’s proposal, but the Pentagon has told U.S. Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., that Nelson asked for a meeting.
VeriChip has said publicly that it is “in discussions” with the Air Force, Navy and Department of Veterans’ Affairs to implant soldiers with radio frequency identification chips. A Pentagon contract would be a boon for VeriChip, which is about to offer its stock to the public.
Federal records show that VeriChip’s Vice President Keith Bolton has given $3,000 to Nelson’s campaign since last year. Nelson, a Democrat, is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
McLaughlin said that VeriChip pitched its product to the senator’s staffbut they were skeptical it would work. Nonetheless, Nelson “routinely” sends out such letters on constituents behalf, McLaughlin said.
“Sen. Nelson doesn’t pass judgment. He allows the appropriate officials in the government agencies to make the best decisions about what’s in their interest,” McLaughlin said.
And several defense contractors routinely give money to the senator, he said.
“That’s a reality because he’s a member of Armed Services and it’s his job, as a member of that committee, to interact with vendors,” McLaughlin said.
VeriChip is one of the most aggressive marketers of radio frequency identification chips. The chips are commonly used to track goods, but VeriChip’s products are designed to be injected into human skin. The company says that it would sell its chips to the Pentagon for between $100 and $125 each.
A probe ordered by Davis found that VeriChip’s discussions with the military and the VA amounted to one presentation at an Air Force tech show earlier this year and two pitch meetings with the Army in 2004 and earlier this year.
VeriChip spokeswoman Nicole Philbin sent an e-mail Friday saying that the company “stands by its earlier statements to The Examiner in regards to discussions the company had with the Air Force, Navy and Department of Veterans Affairs.” She refused further comment.
The Pentagon has told Davis that it isn’t considering VeriChip as a contractor because there are too many health, security and privacy concerns with the chips, Davis told The Examiner.
Davis ordered his staff to look into VeriChip’s lobbying because he was worried that the chips might damage the health — and privacy — of GIs.
The Pentagon already uses radio frequency identification chips to track supplies, and Davis said he’d like to see those programs expanded. “But for medical matters, there needs to be a more thoughtful and coordinated approach than might be required for, say, buying widgets or batteries,” Davis said.
Davis said his probe has led to a larger question. He’s asked the Pentagon to explain whether the services are allowed to use experimental technology without the approval from executives of the Department of Defense.
So far, he’s not received an answer.
