Following Hurricane Milton’s catastrophic landfall, Governor Ron DeSantis has requested an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration to support Florida's response and recovery efforts. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), U.S. Representative Vern Buchanan (R-FL), and members...
Following Hurricane Milton’s catastrophic landfall in Florida, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) joined the U.S. Coast Guard to survey impacted areas across the State. Photos are courtesy of Senator Rubio’s office. Senator Rubio joins the U.S. Coast Guard for a flyover...
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) office will host in-person Mobile Office Hours next week to assist constituents with federal casework issues in their respective local communities. These office hours offer constituents who do not live close to one of Senator Rubio’s...
Major Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall in Florida, bringing with it devastating storm surge, winds, and inland flooding. The Seminole Tribe of Florida should have access to the federal resources required for emergency response and recovery preparations on...
Major Hurricane Milton is forecasted to potentially hinder or obstruct the Port of Tampa Bay, which receives more than 40 percent of Florida’s petroleum products. It’s crucial for the federal government to expedite all requested measures to protect Florida’s economy...
Major Hurricane Milton is forecasted to impact Florida with devastating storm surge, winds, and inland flooding. After just being hit by Hurricane Helene, it’s crucial for the State of Florida to have the support of the federal government. U.S. Senators Marco Rubio...
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and John Kennedy (R-LA) introduced the Small Business Credit Protection Act, legislation that would require credit bureaus to inform small businesses, within 30 days, of a nonpublic personal data breach. The bill would also prohibit credit bureaus from charging small businesses for a credit report within 180 days following a breach. In response to the Equifax data breach, Congress amended the Fair Credit Reporting Act to enhance some federal credit protections for “consumers.” However, business credit is excluded from the statutory definition of “consumers” and thus, while small business’ nonpublic information was subject to the breach, the changes did not apply to those using business credit.
A one pager of the bill is available here.
“The federal government must uphold the trust Americans need to fully participate in our economy. By ensuring that small businesses receive the protections they need in cases of a security breach, the Small Business Credit Protection Act will do just that,” Rubio said. “I urge my colleagues to join me in passing this bill so that we can continue to protect America’s small businesses – the cornerstone of our economy.”
“Credit bureaus need to be held responsible for their gross negligence and data mismanagement,” said Kennedy, a member of the Banking Committee. “We’ve already taken important steps to protect consumers, but small businesses’ credit data were also compromised, and they deserve protection as well. It’s been just over a year since the Equifax breach, but consumers and mom and pop small businesses are counting on us to keep the pedal to the floor and guard their data privacy.”
“We truly appreciate Senator Rubio’s efforts to protect private information for small businesses,” said Patrick La Pine, President/CEO of the League of Southeastern Credit Unions & Affiliates. “Much like consumer data, small businesses are vulnerable to increasing threats of stolen data and this proactive approach is good for the marketplace and the consumers who use it. On behalf of our members, the Florida Credit Union Association thanks Sen. Rubio and looks forward to working with him on this common sense approach.”
Following the Equifax breach, Rubio urged the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Jay Clayton to require companies to promptly disclose significant hacks of material impact that make Americans vulnerable to identity theft.