U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration

11/14/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/14/2024 18:15

Klobuchar, Cramer, Carper, Daines Bipartisan Legislation to Provide Credit Monitoring Services for All Servicemembers Passes Senate

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), along with Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Steve Daines (R-MT), announced their Servicemembers' Credit Monitoring Enhancement Act passed the Senate. The bipartisan legislation provides free credit monitoring for all armed service members, including non-active duty reservists and National Guard members. Currently, only active duty service members are eligible for free credit monitoring.

"Servicemembers are heroes who put their lives on the line for our nation and we must support them in every way we can," said Klobuchar. "By making free credit monitoring available for every single member of our armed forces, this bipartisan legislation will improve the financial security of military families and give them greater peace of mind."

"Look, our service members put so much on the line to protect us and our way of life," said Cramer. "And yet, it's actually their sacrifices that leave them more vulnerable to financial fraud. We just want to ensure the men and women of the military have full access to credit monitoring services that will certainly help keep their information secure. The passage of the Servicemembers' Credit Monitoring Enhancement Act is an important step to protecting the financial security of the members of our armed forces. I urge the House to pass this legislation before the end of the Congress."

"We owe it to our service members to make sure that their financial well-being is protected while they are protecting our country at home and abroad," said Carper, a 24-year veteran of the Navy. "We must improve and expand access to free credit monitoring tools to help make sure more service members and military reservists can feel secure when they make critical financial decisions. That's why I'm glad to see this bipartisan legislation pass the Senate, and urge my House colleagues to send this bill to the President's desk."

"Our servicemembers and their families have made endless sacrifices to protect our country, and the last thing they should have to worry about is identity theft or fraud issues. I'm proud to support this bipartisan legislation to expand free credit monitoring to all of our servicemembers, including those in the reserves, and I'll always support our military families in Montana and across the nation," said Daines.

"The Minnesota National Guard supports the proposed legislation to provide credit monitoring services to our Guard service members. This important measure will bring parity with the benefits currently afforded to our active-duty counterparts, offering essential protection to Guard and Reserve families. With these services, we can better safeguard our members' financial security, ensuring they receive the support they need and deserve," said Col Jamie Lindman, MN National Guard.

"Every servicemember deserves access to the tools they need to accomplish their mission and defend our country," said Cory Titus, the Military Officers Association of America's Director of Currently Serving Affairs. "Credit monitoring services to help servicemembers maintain their security clearances are vital, but not all troops are covered under existing law. MOAA thanks Senators Klobuchar, Cramer, Carper, and Daines for supporting the reserve component and closing a loophole that left some unprotected. We urge the House to quickly pass the Servicemembers' Credit Monitoring Enhancement Act."

"Congress has long recognized that free credit reporting can offer active duty military some financial peace of mind while they serve our country. This legislation will help protect even more service members from fraud and cybercrime while offering important insights into their personal finances. We applaud the work to bring this legislation to fruition and thank the leaders in the Senate who made it possible," said TransUnion.

"We are grateful for the many sacrifices made by our military service members, and we are committed to helping them live their financial best by providing them with the tools they need to help minimize their risk of fraud or identity theft," said Mark W. Begor, CEO of Equifax.

The Servicemembers' Credit Monitoring Enhancement Act makes available to all armed service members, including non-active duty reservists and National Guard members, free electronic credit monitoring that is currently available to active duty service members.

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