FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 22, 2006
CONTACT: Jamie Loftus
SENATOR HUTCHISON INTRODUCES AMENDMENTS TO PROTECT VETERANS' IDENTITY,
DEFINE ROLE OF NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVES
WASHINGTON, DC -- Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Chairman of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, has introduced amendments to the Defense Authorization Bill to provide financial and personal data protection for veterans and service members. Sen. Hutchison also introduced an amendment to define the role of the National Guard and Reserves in homeland defense and civil support.
“We must provide financial protection to those who may be victimized by identity theft. Our veterans and service members trusted that this very personal information would be protected as they plan for their future, and many for retirement,” said Sen. Hutchison, Chairman of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee. “We should consider new measures to prevent future theft, such as removing Social Security numbers from military ID cards, that may better protect personal data in the future.”
Sen. Hutchison offered an amendment with Senators George Allen (R-VA) and Larry Craig (R-ID) which will help provide financial protection to the 26.5 million veterans and active duty military personnel whose personal data and Social Security information was recently stolen from the home of a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs employee. The amendment provides a free credit check and fraud monitoring service for veterans to help protect their credit following this theft.
Sen. Hutchison also introduced an amendment requiring the U.S. Department of Defense to conduct a study and report on the feasibility of developing an alternative to printing an individual’s Social Security number on their DOD-issued military identification card. In 1967, the military services directed all services to start using an individual’s Social Security number in place of a separate service serial number.
In addition to the personal data protection amendments, Sen. Hutchison introduced an amendment that would clarify the role of the National Guard and Reserves in homeland defense and civil support in the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR). With the National Guard being called upon to help protect our borders and provide support in response to Hurricane Katrina, the clarification of the mission and organization in the QDR is an opportunity to define the role of the Reserve Component which the DOD has not yet formally defined or formalized.
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