Rep. Sykes, House Democrats Introduce New Bill to Stop Musk From Invading Americans’ Privacy
Taxpayer Data Protection Act Ensures Trusted Public Servants, Not Elon Musk, Can Access Personal Information
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yesterday, U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) joined House Democrats in introducing the Taxpayer Data Protection Act. This legislation is a direct response to Elon Musk’s shameful invasion of Americans’ privacy. It will stop people with conflicts of interest or without a security clearance from accessing the highly sensitive Treasury Department payment system–which is responsible for Social Security and Medicare benefits.
“It is alarming that Elon Musk – the richest man in the world – has gained and distributed access to a sensitive Treasury Department system responsible for trillions of dollars in U.S. government payments,” said Rep. Sykes. “To say that the role of overseeing this system should be a non-partisan one is a vast understatement – these systems manage Social Security and Medicare benefits, salaries for federal personnel, payments to government contractors and grant recipients, tax refunds, and more. I join my colleagues in the House in supporting the Taxpayer Data Protection Act so that Congress can hold the Trump Administration accountable and prevent Musk and his minions from rifling through the private data of everyday Americans.”
If passed, the Taxpayer Data Protection Act will curb corruption and protect privacy by ensuring that only trusted public servants without conflicts of interest and with appropriate security clearances can access the Treasury Department’s most sensitive systems.