WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) joined House Democrats to introduce the Taxpayer Data Protection Act, which will stop people with conflicts of interest or without a security clearance from accessing the highly sensitive Treasury Department payment system. The Treasury payment system is responsible for Social Security and Medicare benefits.
“An unelected and unvetted billionaire should not have access to my constituents’ private data. Not only is this wrong – it is illegal,” said Larsen. “I am committed to using every tool available to hold Musk, Trump and the Administration accountable to the American people. Join me in supporting this bill and in fighting back against the Republican Rip-Off.”
What the Taxpayer Data Protection Act Does
Specifically, the Taxpayer Data Protection Act:
· Protects the Treasury Department payment system from reckless and unlawful interference;
· Ensures that anyone accessing the system has lawful authorization and has the necessary security clearance;
· Ensures that anyone who accesses the system with a personal financial conflict faces criminal penalties; and
· Ensures public disclosure of unauthorized access and an assessment of any cyber and national security risks or interference with federal payments.
Larsen is Fighting Back Against the Republican Rip-Off
In a video posted to his social media channels, including Bluesky and YouTube, Larsen emphasized the importance of fighting back against the Republican Rip-Off, which includes Elon Musk’s unlawful takeover of the Treasury Department payment system. Larsen pointed to several instances where public pressure has been effective in fighting back:
· Averting the Musk/Trump/GOP Shutdown: On December 18, Trump and Vance released a joint statement calling on Congress to increase the debt ceiling in the spending package or shut down the government. On December 19, due to public pressure, the GOP debt ceiling bill, which would have given Trump a blank check to renew the GOP tax scam, was defeated in the House by a vote of 174 to 235.
· Upholding Birthright Citizenship: On January 20, Trump signed an Executive Order to abolish the doctrine of birthright citizenship. On January 23, a federal judge blocked Trump’s birthright citizenship Executive Order as unconstitutional.
· Standing Up for Federal Investments: On January 27, Trump’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued an illegal memo freezing all federal funding, including critical funding for Meals on Wheels, community health centers, law enforcement and job-creating infrastructure projects. On January 29, due to public pressure, the Administration rescinded the OMB memo.
· Pushing Back Against Tax Increases: On February 1, Trump imposed blanket tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, which would raise prices on Northwest Washington families and small businesses. On February 3, due to public pressure and an adverse stock market reaction, Trump paused tariffs on Canada and Mexico.
· Stopping the Musk Takeover: On January 31, the Administration gave Elon Musk access to the highly sensitive Treasury Department payment system. On February 5, after intense public pressure, the Justice Department agreed to temporarily restrict Musk’s illegal takeover of the Treasury.
Source: Rep. Rick Larsen’s Office
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
