U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, a Centennial Democrat, spoke about Department of Homeland Security operations at Buckley Space Force Base on Feb. 3, 2025. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline)
A group of more than 100 Democrats in Congress, including one from Colorado, introduced a bill Thursday to protect taxpayer data after Elon Musk led a team that gained access to Treasury Department systems.
Led by U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, a Michigan Democrat and former Treasury Department official, the Taxpayer Data Protection Act would limit the Treasury Secretary’s ability to authorize access to sensitive systems to vetted affiliates of the department. U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, a Centennial Democrat, also sponsored the legislation.
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Republican President Donald Trump assigned Musk, the world’s richest person and a Trump megadonor, to lead a new White House entity, the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
Musk deputies gained access, in the face of resistance by a senior career civil servant, to a Treasury Department system that handles federal government payments worth trillions of dollars. Data in the system includes personal information about millions of Americans who receive Social Security, Medicare, tax refunds and other federal payments. Two large unions and an alliance that together represent millions of government and retired workers are suing Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent over the breach.
Colorado Democrats characterized Musk’s actions as illegal and promised to oppose them.
“I’ve heard from hundreds of Coloradans who are concerned about Elon Musk’s intrusion into their private data,” Crow said in a statement. “Anyone unaccountable to the American people — including Musk and his associates — should not have access to sensitive payment systems and information. That’s why I’ve helped introduce the Taxpayer Data Protect Action to stop this unlawful access to payment systems that tens of millions of Americans rely on for Social Security, Medicare benefits and tax returns.”
The bill would also require the inspector general of the Treasury Department to investigate and report unauthorized access to Congress. A press release from Crow’s office says the bill is a direct response to Musk’s actions.
House leadership referred the bill to the House Committee on Financial Services and the House Committee on Ways and Means. U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen, a Lakewood Democrat, serves on the financial services committee.
With a Republican-controlled House, Senate and White House, the bill’s likelihood of becoming law is scarce.
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