Democratic senators are pushing for congressional colleagues to agree to hearings about the data breach at Target retail stores that compromised an estimated 40 million Americans.
The breach resulted in the theft of credit and debit card numbers and was believed to have occurred at in-store swiping machines.
Sens. Robert Menendez, Chuck Schumer and Mark Warner have all signed on to a letter to their Senate Banking Committee heads, saying Congress ought to take the lead in investigating the breach and calling for accountability, The Hill reported.
“As companies collect, store and process ever-greater quantities of consumer data, they — and our regulators — must become even more vigilant against breaches and improper use,” the senators wrote, The Hill reported.
The point of the hearings: Does Congress need to pass tighter cybersecurity rules? The Hill reported that lawmakers also want to determine if there are better tools available to fight off similar cybersecurity crimes in the future.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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