Walden on consumer data protection: ‘Surely we can do better’

Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., called Wednesday for improvements to the protection of consumer data following the massive breach of Equifax, which compromised the sensitive personal information of over 145 million Americans, including 1.7 million Oregonians.

Walden, who serves as chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, led a hearing entitled “Securing Consumers’ Credit Data in the Age of Digital Commerce” and called for increased protections for Americans’ sensitive consumer information.

Here’s the rest of a news release issued Wednesday by Walden’s office:

“As I noted at the Equifax hearing last month, ‘you can’t fix stupid.’,” Walden said. “But surely we can do better. Despite all of these existing laws and authorities, Equifax allowed the most sensitive consumer credit information of 145 million Americans to be exposed. There is no excuse.

“The instantaneous ability to obtain credit is a remarkable blessing that remains all too unavailable for most people living in less technologically advanced places,” Walden continued. “But for the companies and networks that make this privilege possible comes great responsibility. Our ability to obtain credit is only as strong as our data protection. In the cyber world foxes are always trying to break into the henhouse. It is our duty, and the duty of the possessors of sensitive consumer information, to make sure we have a strong fence.”

Wednesday’s hearing examined consumer data security practices, trends, and areas for improvement across the credit reporting industry. This comes as Walden recently pressed former Equifax Chairman and CEO Richard Smith for answers on a data breach that affected nearly 50 percent of the total U.S. population, and represents the fourth largest data breach according to press reporting.

As chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden is at the forefront of defending American consumers against hackers, criminals, and nation-states working to overcome cyber-defenses and exploit sensitive personal data for their own gain. For more information on today’s hearing, including a background memo, witness testimony, and archived webcast, click here.