November, 01 2017, 10:30am EDT
U.S. PIRG Consumer Program Director to testify Wednesday before the House Financial Services Committee on Data Privacy
U.S. Public Interest Research Group's (U.S. PIRG) Consumer Program Director, Ed Mierzwinski, will present testimony on Wednesday on why data privacy is critical for consumers in the 21st century, particularly in the wake of the massive Equifax data breach, to the Financial Services Committee of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, November 1st at 2:00pm EST in 2128 Rayburn House Office Building.
WASHINGTON
U.S. Public Interest Research Group's (U.S. PIRG) Consumer Program Director, Ed Mierzwinski, will present testimony on Wednesday on why data privacy is critical for consumers in the 21st century, particularly in the wake of the massive Equifax data breach, to the Financial Services Committee of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, November 1st at 2:00pm EST in 2128 Rayburn House Office Building.
"The Equifax breach should be a stark reminder that we need to strengthen, not weaken, our data security laws," said Ed Mierzwinski. "Unfortunately, after every data breach the banks and U.S. Chamber of Commerce try to sneak through a Trojan Horse proposal to create industry-friendly federal rules that rarely require notice to consumers and broadly take away strong state law protections.
Mierzwinski's main points will include the following:
Congress should immediately enact a law granting free credit freezes for all.
Any new data breach notice laws should be based on the strongest state laws and allow states to continue to innovate on privacy and data security protections.
Congress should move enforcement of data security laws that apply to credit bureaus from the Federal Trade Commission to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Congress should not weaken the Consumer Bureau in any way; it works.
If you would like to interview Ed Mierzwinski after the hearing, please do not hesitate to contact me at psnow@pirg.org or (803) 317-1181.
U.S. PIRG, the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs), stands up to powerful special interests on behalf of the American public, working to win concrete results for our health and our well-being. With a strong network of researchers, advocates, organizers and students in state capitols across the country, we take on the special interests on issues, such as product safety,political corruption, prescription drugs and voting rights,where these interests stand in the way of reform and progress.
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