Jay Rockefeller: “I rise to say a few words on the introduction of the Data Security and Breach Notification Act. Senator Pryor and I…”

“I rise to say a few words on the introduction of the Data Security and Breach Notification Act. Senator Pryor and I introduced this bill in the 111th Congress, and given the recent high-profile data breaches that have endangered the well-being of millions of ordinary American consumers, today's reintroduction of this comprehensive bill is timely. I want to thank and commend Senator Pryor for his leadership on this issue and for his terrific work as Chairman of the Consumer Protection Subcommittee on the Commerce Committee. As the recent breaches at Citigroup, Sony, and Epsilon have taught us, companies that collect and store sensitive consumer information should have two important obligations: to maintain that information in a manner that is safe and secure; and to notify affected consumers as quickly as possible in the wake of a security breach in order to allow them to take necessary steps to protect themselves. Senator Pryor's and my bill addresses both of these obligations. Currently, 47 States have data breach notification laws on the books, but very few address how companies should secure their data from the outset to prevent such breaches. Our bill calls on the Federal Trade Commission to promulgate regulations that direct companies to establish and maintain reasonable protocols to secure consumer data from unauthorized access.…”