The Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, chaired by Rep. Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), has scheduled a hearing for Jan. 27, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. in room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing is entitled, “What are the Elements of Sound Data Breach Legislation?"
Cyber crime is a growing concern as Americans are spending more of their time online. The rapid evolution of technology has empowered consumers to purchase goods and services on demand, whenever and wherever they choose, but it has also empowered criminals to target businesses and steal a host of data. This criminal activity can lead to identity theft and financial fraud that impacts consumers and the economy as a whole. States have developed individual breach notification standards over the last decade and a smaller number have also established security standards, but with these varying levels of protection and notification practices, the result can be confusion and uncertainty. This patchwork effect, along with the recent high-profile security breaches, highlights the urgent need for uniform standards and better protection for consumers. The goal of next week’s hearing is to determine what elements should be included in federal legislation.
Burgess commented, “Data theft is a real and serious threat facing American families. With cyber crimes growing in size and scope by the day, we have a responsibility to improve cyber safeguards. We need a plan in place that will help prevent data from being stolen in the first place, and will also alleviate consequences for consumers if hackers are successful. I am encouraged by the president’s recent focus on this issue and call for a national standard, and I agree. Working toward a federal data breach solution is a top priority for our new Congress. Data security will be the focus of our subcommittee’s first hearing as we drill down on what components should be included in a bill that will give consumers the peace of mind they deserve."
The Majority Memorandum, a witness list, and witness testimony will be available here as they are posted.
