Rep. George Whitesides to Introduce Taxpayer Data Protection Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. George Whitesides joined his Democratic colleagues to introduce the Taxpayer Data Protection Act. This legislation will stop people with conflicts of interest or without a security clearance from accessing the highly sensitive Treasury Department payment system – which is responsible for Social Security and Medicare benefits.

In the past week, Rep. Whitesides has received hundreds of calls from constituents in Santa Clarita, Lancaster, and Palmdale deeply concerned about the recent invasive access of their personal data. This legislation would stop any attempt to unlawfully access these private records, and ensure access is restricted to those with the proper training and understanding of the systems.

“The unlawful and undemocratic takeover of the federal payment system is a dangerous move that jeopardizes your personal information and privacy, and we must act now to stop it,” said Rep. Whitesides. “If passed, the Taxpayer Data Protection Act will curb corruption and protect privacy by ensuring that only trusted public servants without conflicts of interest and with appropriate security clearances can access the Treasury Department’s most sensitive systems.”

###