Carper joins Sens. Klobuchar, Cramer, and Daines to Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Provide Credit Monitoring Services for All Servicemembers and their Families

U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) joined Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) to introduce the Servicemembers’ Credit Monitoring Enhancement Act, bipartisan legislation to provide free credit monitoring for all servicemembers and their families. Currently, only active duty servicemembers and members of the National Guard are eligible for free credit monitoring services. 

As a 23-year veteran of the Navy and Naval Reserves, Senator Carper has been a leader on legislation to protect and empower active duty service members, veterans, and their families. In 2018, Senator Carper secured free credit monitoring for active duty servicemembers and the national guard, and this legislation builds on that work to expand access for their families.

“The brave men and women of our military represent the best of us and sacrifice so much in order to keep our country safe,” said Klobuchar. “We need to make sure we’re doing all we can to support them. By making free credit monitoring available for all servicemembers and their families, this bipartisan legislation will help provide peace of mind to those in uniform and military families when it comes to their financial security.” 

“Our service members and their families put so much on the line to protect us and our way of life, yet their sacrifices leave them more vulnerable to financial fraud,” said Cramer. “Ensuring military families have full access to credit monitoring services will help keep their information secure.”

“We owe it to our service members and their families to make sure that their financial well-being is protected while they are protecting our country at home and abroad,” said Carper, a 23-year veteran of the Navy. “Military families are often more vulnerable to cybersecurity breaches, which can expose personal data like sensitive financial and identification information. That’s why I’m proud to co-sponsor this bipartisan legislation to expand access to free credit monitoring tools to more service members and their families, so that when it comes time to make critical financial decisions, they can feel secure.”

“As the son of a United States Marine, I know firsthand the great sacrifice made by servicemembers and their families. The last thing they should have to worry about is credit fraud or identity theft. I’ll always work to find common sense, bipartisan solutions for Montana military families who have given so much for our state and our nation,” said Daines.

The Servicemembers’ Credit Monitoring Enhancement Act would expand eligibility for free credit monitoring to military spouses and dependents over 18 years old as well as all servicemembers, including non-active duty reservists.

The legislation is endorsed by The Military Coalition, including 24 of their servicemember organizations, and TransUnion.

“The current law, known as the Fair Credit Reporting Act, provides a safety net for most but not for all of our uniformed services as we would intend. The key to oversight is to expand the current law to include all servicemembers – a course of action TMC has long supported. We appreciate that this legislation also expands credit monitoring coverage to spouses and dependents of uniformed servicemembers,” said Jack Du Teil, President of The Military Coalition.

“Congress has long recognized that free credit reporting for active duty military can help keep service members informed about their financial health and offer some peace of mind while they focus on their mission. This legislation is a welcome expansion of those efforts that we are proud to support, providing more help to more service members and their families,” said TransUnion. 

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