Pentagon ID Theft Puts 1 million Ohio Vets Credit at Risk

[OzarkDem]

AMHERST--Congressman Sherrod Brown (D-Lorain County) today outlined immediate steps the Bush administration should take to protect the financial security of Ohio's one million veterans and their spouses, following the Pentagon's admission that the personal information of 26.5 million veterans was recently stolen.

Brown noted that Republicans in Congress - including incumbent Republican Senator Mike DeWine - opposed legislation last year that would have limited the financial risks of those exposed to identity theft.

"The week before Memorial Day, Ohio veterans should be celebrated - not victimized by the Bush administration's incompetence and the Republicans' misguided policies," Brown said. "The White House must immediately take action to guarantee that no veteran's credit or finances are destroyed as a result of this fiasco."

The Pentagon announced Monday that the names, social security numbers, and other personal information of 26.5 million veterans and their spouses across the country, including every living veteran discharged since 1975, had been stolen from the home of a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) data analyst.

Last year, DeWine voted to block a Democratic proposal that would have extended bankruptcy protections for victims of identity theft. Brown voted in favor of the proposal, which was opposed by banking and credit card interests.

http://www.ipr.uc.edu/PDF/OhioPoll/2005_prezapp_042205.pdf

[mcscajun]

1. "...Bush administration's incompetence...

and the Republicans' misguided policies..."

I love it!

Say it LOUD, brother!

[spindrifter]

2. I'm sure I missed this--

why did someone take this data home? I saw that there was another burglary close to the VA employee's house, and nothing was missing. That sounds preposterous to me--like someone knew the guy would have the laptop at his home and went for it? We get in trouble if the boss finds out we have taken any of our files home. Why? Because confidential information could be stolen. And it has been. I know of two people who lost company files in car prowls.

[partylessinOhio]

3. Hear me roar! Sherrod Brown! Hear me roar!

[cmd]

4. Hammer the security issue, Sherrod

The Republicans are anti-security. They have failed to protect the personal information of 26.5 million veterans and their spouses. This not only compromises the individual security of each vet and spouse, but lays open the possiblity that the information may fall into the hands of terrorists.

[OzarkDem]

5. Very good point n/t

[OzarkDem]

6. Worth repeating

"Last year, DeWine voted to block a Democratic proposal that would have extended bankruptcy protections for victims of identity theft. Brown voted in favor of the proposal, which was opposed by banking and credit card interests." That's scary.

:wtf: