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For Immediate Release
11/16/07
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Joe Brenckle - Republican Press Office 202-224-3991
Brian Eaton w/Stevens 202-224-0445
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Senate Passes Bill Cosponsored by Sen. Stevens to Help Combat ID Theft
Measure Supplements Commerce Bill To Strengthen Consumer Safeguards |
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Senate yesterday approved, S. 2168 - the Identity Theft Enforcement and Restitution Act of 2007, which would combat identity theft and cyber crime. The bill is sponsored by Senators Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and cosponsored by Commerce Committee Vice Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska). The legislation is based on recommendations from the President’s Identity Theft Task Force and is crafted to provide the law enforcement community with improved tools and increased penalties to better combat identity theft and other cyber crime. This bill would supplement S. 1178, the Identity Theft Prevention Act, sponsored by Vice Chairman Stevens and Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii). S. 1178 was approved by the Commerce Committee earlier this year and would strengthen information safeguards and ensure notification to consumers whose sensitive personal information has been acquired without authorization.
“More than eight million Americans fall victim to identity theft every year, and it can take months or even years to restore their financial health,” said Senator Stevens. “It is vital that law enforcement be given the tools it needs to combat this problem, and S. 2168 is an important step forward in the fight against identity theft. Consumers also want to be notified when their personal information is breached and it is my hope that Congress will pass the Commerce Committee’s legislation, which addresses these notification concerns.”
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) estimates that each year more than eight million Americans – or roughly 4.6 percent of the domestic adult population – are victimized by identity thieves. The FTC indicates that physical and online identity theft accounted for 40 percent of the more than 616,000 consumer fraud complaints filed last year with the agency. In 2006, it is estimated that the losses to businesses and financial institutions due to identity theft totaled $52.6 billion, and the out-of-pocket losses to consumers totaled $5 billion. These figures do not include the average 300 hours spent by each identity theft victim to restore their financial health.
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| 27th - |
FCC Commissioners to Testify at Commerce Committee Oversight Hearing
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation announces a Full Committee oversight hearing on the Federal Communication Commission (FCC).
At this hearing, the Committee Members will hear from the five FCC commissioners on current proceedings involving media and telecommunications policy.
Federal Communications Commission Oversight Hearing
Full Comm...
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| 16th - |
current Press Release |
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| 15th - |
Inouye Pushes Senate to Move Broadband Mapping Bill
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Commerce Committee Chairman Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) today urged the United States Senate to adopt a bill that would improve the quality of federal and state broadband data collection. The Broadband Data Improvement Act (S. 1492) would also encourage initiatives that promote broadband deployment.
“For America to keep pace with the rest of the world in the di...
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| 13th - |
Climate Scientists, President’s Science Advisor to Testify at Climate Change Research Hearing
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation announced today the witnesses for a Full Committee hearing titled A Time for Change: Improving the Federal Climate Change Research and Information Program. The witnesses are listed below.
The hearing will focus on the need to improve the U.S. Global Change Research Program, which is responsible for coordina...
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| 8th - |
Inouye: FCC Should Not Rush to Judgment on New Media Ownership Rules
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, issued the following statement today at a Commerce Committee hearing on Localism, Diversity, and Media Ownership:
“The media is a tremendous force. It can inform, educate, and entertain, as well as nourish our democratic dialogue. Yet is also has less ...
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Commerce Committee to Explore Ways to Improve Federal Climate Change Research Program
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation announces a Full Committee hearing titled A Time for Change: Improving the Federal Climate Change Research and Information Program.
The hearing will focus on the need to improve the U.S. Global Change Research Program, which is responsible for coordinating and directing Federal climate change research. It wi...
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| 7th - |
Science Subcommittee to Discuss Effects of Space Shuttle Retirement
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation announces a Space, Aeronautics, and Related Sciences Subcommittee hearing on Issues Facing the U.S. Space Program after Retirement of the Space Shuttle.
The Subcommittee hearing will address issues related to the retirement of the Space Shuttle, its remaining missions, the National Aeronautics and Space Adm...
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Industry, Non-Profits, and Academia to Testify at Media Ownership Hearing
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation announced today the witnesses for a Full Committee hearing on Localism, Diversity, and Media Ownership. The witnesses are listed below.
This hearing will focus on issues related to media consolidation, pending proposals to change the Federal Communications Commission’s media ownership rules, and govern...
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Witnesses Announced for Carbon Sequestration Hearing
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation announced today the witnesses for a Science, Technology, and Innovation Subcommittee hearing on Carbon Sequestration Technologies. The witnesses are listed below.
Carbon dioxide capture and sequestration is a widely discussed solution to decreasing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide. At this heari...
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Commerce Committee to Examine Media Ownership Rules
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation announces a Full Committee hearing on Localism, Diversity, and Media Ownership.
This hearing will focus on issues related to media consolidation, pending proposals to change the Federal Communications Commission’s media ownership rules, and government efforts to promote localism and diversity the medi...
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Commerce Subcommittee to Hold Carbon Capture Hearing
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation announces a Science, Technology, and Innovation Subcommittee hearing on Carbon Sequestration Technologies.
Carbon dioxide capture and sequestration is a widely discussed solution to decreasing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide. At this hearing, the subcommittee will discuss research and developme...
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