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E&C Members Request Information from GSA on Federal Contracts with Equifax

October 16, 2017

After sending a letter to the IRS regarding the agency's now suspended contract with Equifax, a bipartisan group of Energy and Commerce Committee members today sent a letter to the General Services Administration (GSA) requesting information on its data security vetting and requirements for awarding government contracts.

Full committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR), Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta (R-OH), #SubDCCP Ranking Member Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), and the entire group of bipartisan #SubDCCP members pressed GSA on how it vetted Equifax for a number of federal contracts, including with the IRS.

"We are writing to request information about the General Services Administration's (GSA) consideration of data security practices when vetting vendors and awarding government contracts. As a Federal government agency, GSA has a responsibility to act in the best interests of the American public, including ensuring that their personal information is secure," the letter reads. "It has come to our attention that GSA has awarded contracts to Equifax to provide data-related services handling Americans' personal information at multiple Federal agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Social Security Administration, and Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services."

Earlier this month, #SubDCCP held a hearingon the Equifax data breach with former CEO Richard Smith.

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