Sen. Carper Statement on Obama Administration Initiative to Improve Financial Security of American Consumers and Businesses

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, today released the following statement on President Obama’s proposal to improve our country’s ability to protect consumers and prevent data breaches. For nearly a decade, Senator Carper has championed bipartisan legislation to update and streamline protection standards to prevent fraud and identity theft before it happens.

“As Americans embrace the latest technology both at home and in the workplace, we must pay careful attention to the security risks that accompany this essential aspect of our daily life. In just the past year alone, we’ve seen breaches that have compromised the personal information of millions of consumers. The president’s announcement is an important call to action for Congress, the administration, and the various stakeholders to work together to strengthen our cyber networks, prevent future attacks, and protect consumers when a data breach does occur.”

“For several consecutive Congresses, Senator Blunt and I have worked hard on bipartisan proposals to better serve consumers impacted by data breaches by giving businesses clear and consistent rules of the road for responding to a breach event. I am hopeful that the Obama administration’s attention to this issue will encourage our colleagues to join us in taking the important steps forward we need in order to pass legislation that will better protect consumers and businesses in cyberspace. The longer we wait to act, the greater the risk of damage.”