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The continued strong advocacy efforts by your League on the impact that data breaches are having on credit unions and members was highlighted this past week by the Credit Union National Association (CUNA). In its national and widely-read publication, NewsNow, CUNA noted your League's President John Murphy's interview that aired statewide on Maine Public Radio last week.
In the interview, Murphy again reinforced the magnitude and frequency of data breaches in Maine. "In the past 12-18 months, Maine's credit unions have re-issued in the neighborhood of 400,000 to 500,000 ATM debit cards, and we estimate the total cost, including fraud, in the neighborhood of $2.5 million. The folks that are responsible for not taking proper care of consumers' data ought to be responsible for absorbing the costs associated with fraud and re-issuing the cards."
Murphy's remarks in the story took on added significance because both Senator Collins and Senator King were also quoted in the story. Your League is heavily engaged in communciations and conversations with both Senators and their staff seeking their co-sponsorship for S.961 - the Data Security Act of 2015. Senator Collins and King told MPBN that they are both urging Congress to pass a cybersecurity law. Senator Collins said a recent attack on the government personnel office has all the hallmarks of a sophisticated attack. "This is a real indictment of the lack of computer security that we have with civilian agencies' computers," Collins said in the radio segment.
King also issued a statement renewing his calls for Congress to take action. His comments echo remarks he made on the Senate floor earlier this year in response to a data breach at health insurer Anthem, which affected more than a half-million Maine residents. In that same speech earlier this year, Senator King referenced statistics provided by the Maine Credit Union League on the amount of cards reissued and fraud losses.
"We are heartened by Senators Collins and King's remarks, and continue to urge both to become sponsors of S. 961," Murphy added.
A version of the Senate bill has also been introduced in the House - H.R. 2205. Your League issued a Call To Action asking credit union staff and volunteers to contact Senators Collins and King, and either Congresswoman Pingree or Congressman Poliquin about co-sponsoring the bills. To date, more than 1,500 emails and calls have been documented from Maine CUs to our Congressional Delegation but your League strongly urges more to take the time to send a message, especially in light of the most recent breach.
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