Norton Works to Get Expanded Identity Coverage for Federal Employees Impacted By OPM Data in Omnibus Bill

Press Release

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), a senior member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, worked to get expanded identity theft coverage for current, former and prospective federal employees whose personal information was compromised by Office of Personnel Management (OPM) data breaches. Norton's bill, the RECOVER Act, which she sponsored with Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), seeks free lifetime coverage for credit monitoring and identity theft protection. OPM had originally offered only 18 months of free credit monitoring and $1 million in identity theft coverage to individuals whose sensitive data and personnel records were compromised. Norton has not gotten lifetime coverage yet, but she got appropriators to expand the identity theft protection coverage for 10 years and increase identity theft insurance from $1 million to $5 million.

"It's gratifying that we are getting closer to the lifetime identity theft protection coverage that federal employees deserve, but we aren't there yet," Norton said. "It pays for the OPM hackers to bide their time and simply outwait the proposed 10-year period before making their move. Much of the OPM data that was stolen is permanent personal information that cannot be changed easily or at all--like birthdates, fingerprints, and social security numbers. Worse, the hackers also have information on spouses, children, and other relatives of affected federal employees. By pressing OPM, we have improved coverage for those affected, but we do not intend to stop short of full protection."

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