New bill proposes lifetime identity protection for OPM data breach victims

Federal employees and contractors impacted by decade-old Office of Personnel Management (OPM) data breaches could receive lifelong identity protection under new bipartisan legislation. Senator Mark Warner and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton are set to introduce the RECOVER PII Act, which aims to extend the government's identity protection program beyond its current expiration date of Sept. 30, with further coverage provided by Nextgov.

The OPM breaches, which compromised sensitive personal information of approximately 22 million individuals, including Social Security numbers and security clearance records, are now seeing their 10-year identity protection services expire. The RECOVER PII Act seeks to replace the 10-year limit with lifetime coverage for affected individuals and retain the requirement for identity theft insurance. The bill also proposes allowing agencies to reimburse employees and contractors for privacy tools and online information removal services, regardless of OPM breach victim status.

Foreign intelligence services can exploit this compromised data for years, potentially targeting government personnel and their families, especially as individuals advance in national security roles. This legislation aims to provide lasting security for those affected by the breaches.

Source: Nextgov