U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, introduced an amendment to the Cybersecurity Act of 2012 that would enhance the underlying legal framework protecting Americans’ personal information held in federal data systems. This amendment (s. amend. 2618) would close loopholes in privacy requirements, centralize federal oversight of privacy protections, and reinstate basic remedies for privacy violations.
“We need to do a better job of protecting personal information held by the government,” said Senator Akaka. “This amendment will close loopholes and push agencies to improve the safeguards on the private information they hold about nearly every American. With the rapid evolution of technology and the explosion of personally identifiable information in the hands of government agencies, we need stronger rules and more transparency so that Americans can be sure the information held by government agencies is secure.”
Senator Akaka’s amendment is cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), Christopher Coons (D-Delaware), Al Franken (D-Minnesota), Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Tom Udall (D-New Mexico), and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon).
Senator Akaka introduced the amendment on July 26, shortly after the Senate voted to proceed to the Cybersecurity Act. Akaka chairs the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia.