| Washington, D.C. – The Senate unanimously passed legislation last week that U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., said would help victims of identity theft clear their names easier and faster. Enzi cosponsored the Identity Theft Victims Assistance Act of 2002, S. 1742, introduced by Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., that would help prevent identity theft and mitigate harm to victims of that crime. "Currently, federal law identifies and addresses the crime of identity theft, but does not provide assistance to victims trying to recover their identity," said Enzi. "This can be an extremely long and difficult process, and this bill would help innocent victims of identity theft to make an easier return to their normal lives." The bill would allow identity theft victims to obtain business records in an attempt to clear their identity and require consumer credit reporting agencies to block information that appears on a victim's credit report as a result of identity theft. It would also authorize the committee currently studying the enforcement of federal identity theft law to look for ways how the federal government can provide better assistance to communities as well as information on terrorism, as it relates to identity theft. Enzi said the legislation would not overburden small businesses and would apply mainly to large organizations such as credit card companies, utilities and banks, which retain extensive records and possess the personnel to process the requests of identity theft victims. It would not require any business to obtain, retain, or maintain information or records that are not otherwise required by law for ordinary business. Enzi said, per capita, Wyoming experiences as much identity theft as elsewhere. This year, identity theft nationwide increased 50 percent in only three months. The Senate passed the bill unanimously during this session of Congress, which ended this week, but the House adjourned before acting on the bill. Enzi said the Senate's unanimous support this year greatly increases the legislation's chance of becoming law next year. -end-
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