Hispanic War Veterans of America
August 10, 2006

Statment by the Hispanic War Veterans of America about today's Senate event on protecting Vet's Data

By Jess Quintero

Jess Quintero, President of the Hispanic War Veterans of America, issued the following statement today in response to Senate and House activity on consumer privacy protections for veterans.
 

"I commend Senators Akaka, Salazar, Schumer, Murray and Clinton for highlighting the need for additional protections for our nation's veterans due to the increased risk of identity theft they now face. Unfortunately, a bill moving forward in the House threatens  to undermine protections many veterans already enjoy. This is especially troublesome for Hispanic veterans, who are disproportionately affected by identify theft, with recovery, when possible, often taking twice as long.
 

"The Financial Data Protection Act, H.R. 3997, would create a federal consumer protection standard that weakens the strong credit protection options like credit freeze that eighteen states already provide to approximately 130 million veterans and other consumers. Three of those states - Colorado, New York and Washington - are represented by those senators leading today's event.

 
"H.R. 3997 would limit veterans' access to options like credit freeze until after they have been victimized and would subject them to unacceptable delays in trying to exercise more control over their own credit. Congress can do better than that for the men and women who wore our nation's uniform.

 
"Veterans deserve our nation's strongest support. I appreciate the leadership demonstrated by Senators Akaka, Salazar, Schumer and Clinton today as well as the that of Rep. John Salazar and 150 members of the House who have called for further protections of veterans and active duty troops now facing increased risk of identity theft.
 

I strongly urge the full House to make sure than any legislation it passes does nothing to undermine privacy protections for our veterans as H.R. 3997 would."

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