11/15/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/15/2024 16:04
WILMINGTON, Del. - U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), a 23-year veteran of the Navy, announced the 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. Sen. Carper, the last serving Vietnam Veteran in the Senate, authored the original provision in 2018.
"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 cosponsor of the legislation. "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."
"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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