Tampa Representative Kathy Castor and over 141 U.S. House Democrats introduced legislation trying to stop Elon Musk “from invading American’s privacy.” The Central Florida Democrat said the legislation is to protect Americans’ sensitive personal information, like Social Security numbers, “from unelected and unaccountable Elon Musk and a shady group of coconspirators.”
Democrats admit The Taxpayer Data Protection Act is a direct response to what they call “Elon Musk’s shocking invasion of Americans’ privacy,” saying 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.
“Elon Musk’s hostile takeover of the federal payment system is a reckless power grab that puts your personal information and privacy at grave risk,” said Tampa Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor. “We will not stand idly by and allow Musk to harm everyday Americans while he advances his personal business interests across government. I am proud to champion the Taxpayer Data Protection Act to hold the Trump Administration accountable and slam the door on Musk and his minions before they can further exploit the private financial data of hardworking Americans. This is about protecting our democracy from billionaires who think they’re above the law. House Democrats stand united to pass this commonsense privacy legislation. If just three House Republicans side with the American people instead of Elon Musk, we can pass this critical bill.”
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, according to the Democrats.
The text of the legislation is online.
