News Coverage
District Sentinel: Warren: Credit Reporting Agencies a Threat to National Security
A Senate Banking Committee hearing on Tuesday showcased how Senators are considering major reforms to a credit reporting industry dealing with data breaches. The proceedings were the latest in a series following the stunning hack of Equifax earlier this year, which exposed the social security numbers and sensitive information of 143 million Americans. "The credit reporting industry is a threat to each of us personally, but it is also a threat to our national security," Sen. Elizabeth Warren … Continue Reading
October 12, 2017
Springfield Republican: Elizabeth Warren seeks further answers on Equifax breach
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, continued to press Equifax officials Thursday to provide additional details on what led to the company's recent security breach and how it has responded to the hack, which exposed more than 143 million Americans' personal information. The Massachusetts Democrat, who has repeatedly raised questions about the breach, penned a letter to former Equifax Chairman and CEO Richard Smith seeking follow up information on his recent testimony before the Senate … Continue Reading
October 12, 2017
HousingWire: Ginnie Mae, VA launch task force to look into lenders targeting veterans for quick refinances
Roughly one month ago, Ginnie Mae announced that it was launching an investigation into mortgage lenders that were aggressively targeting servicemembers and military veterans for quick and potentially risky refinances of their mortgages. The investigation came on the heels of a letter from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, who cited a report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which covered complaints received from veterans about Department of Veterans Affairs mortgage … Continue Reading
October 11, 2017
The Hill: Senate Dems urge NIH to renew gun research grants
Senate Democrats are calling on the National Institutes of Health to renew recently-lapsed funding for gun violence research following the Las Vegas concert shooting. In a letter to NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins, Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Chris Murphy (Conn.), and 21 others joined Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in saying that continuing the program is urgent. "With 93 Americans dying per day from gun-related fatalities, it is critical that NIH dedicate a portion of its … Continue Reading
October 10, 2017
Common Dreams: Despite GOP Dereliction, Warren Vows to Fight for Program That Insures 9 Million Kids
"September 30th was the deadline for a whole bunch of healthcare programs and the Republicans basically just blew through the deadlines," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in a video about a program that provides affordable healthcare to 9 million children and 370,000 pregnant women annually. ... "They said, 'Eh, we know the programs expired, at some point we'll come back. And in the meantime? Just let them go figure it out,'" Warren said, referring to challenges faced by states and … Continue Reading
October 05, 2017
The Reminder: Warren requests funding for Puerto Rico
SPRINGFIELD - Although the relief situation in Puerto Rico is changing daily, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Congressman Richard Neal met with constituents in an hour-long Town Hall meeting to discuss the condition as of Sept. 29. Warren said there is "a simple message [to describe the effort to help to date]: it's too little and it's coming too slowly." Warren explained this she is looking ahead past the immediate relief needs to the island commonwealth's overall economy. "It was fragile economy … Continue Reading
October 05, 2017
Boston Globe: Elizabeth Warren joins Republican to challenge Equifax contract with IRS
WASHINGTON - The bipartisan rage against Equifax continues, and now the IRS is caught in the crossfire. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, a liberal, and Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse, a conservative, teamed up Wednesday night to write a letter challenging the Internal Revenue Service's decision to grant a $7.25 million contract to Equifax to help verify taxpayers' identities and prevent tax fraud. The contract's awarding came just weeks after the credit reporting company disclosed a … Continue Reading
October 04, 2017
Boston Globe: Elizabeth Warren slams Equifax CEO, calls for ‘severe financial penalties’
WASHINGTON - It takes a lot to unite Congress in outrage these days, given how divided along party lines it's become. Equifax this week managed that feat. Firebrand consumer watchdog Elizabeth Warren was joined Wednesday by a number of Republicans on the Senate Banking Committee in roasting the company over its enormous data breach this year in which the personal information - including Social Security numbers - of as many as 145.5 million Americans was compromised. ... "Equifax did a terrible … Continue Reading
October 04, 2017
CNBC: Sen. Warren calls for 'sensible changes' in gun laws in the wake of the Las Vegas massacre
The Las Vegas massacre this week highlights the need for tighter gun control, Sen. Elizabeth Warren said Wednesday. Asked to react to the Vegas attack, the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, the Massachusetts Democrat said: "We make it a national conversation at the moment of a mass shooting. But it's happening every single day in this country. People are dying from guns." Warren called for "sensible changes" in the nation's gun laws, adding lawmakers cannot be "held hostage by … Continue Reading
October 03, 2017
Boston.com: Elizabeth Warren tells the new Wells Fargo CEO he should be fired, too
You may recall the prominent role Sen. Elizabeth Warren played last year shining a light on Wells Fargo's fake account scandal, which resulted in the resignation of the banking giant's CEO, John Stumpf. Shortly after Stumpf's resignation, Wells Fargo appointed Tim Sloan, a 30-year veteran at the bank, as their new CEO. And following in his predecessor's footstep, Sloan made the trip to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to face more ruthless questions from the Senate banking committee - Warren included - … Continue Reading
October 02, 2017
Western Mass News: Sen. Warren discusses Puerto Rico relief efforts in Springfield
SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - Disaster relief efforts remain a focus for Massachusetts lawmakers as resources dwindle in Puerto Rico. Senator Elizabeth Warren spoke Friday night to local leaders and residents at Chestnut Middle School in Springfield. ... "We come together to try and find out how we can do better and one of the reasons I wanted to be here with you is to tell you what I know, but to also hear from you, so I can take that back to Washington. I think it's just much more powerful … Continue Reading
September 28, 2017
Eagle Tribune: Health-care advocates brace for crisis
LAWRENCE - While a national debate over a Republican push to repeal the Affordable Care Act has dominated media this week, Congress faces another health-care deadline that would directly impact coverage for thousands of people in the Merrimack Valley. The Greater Lawrence Family Health Center serves 60,000 patients in the Merrimack Valley and the organization's leaders say they could lose $2 million in funding if Congress doesn't act by Saturday. ... Massachusetts senators Elizabeth Warren and … Continue Reading
September 27, 2017
North of Boston Editorial: Credit bureaus shouldn't need a mandate to drop fees
If you're old enough to read this sentence, odds are better than even that your personal information - including your name, birthdate, Social Security number and financial data - was exposed to hackers who accessed the Equifax database this past summer. Adding insult to injury, you'll now have to shuck out at least $10 in Massachusetts - double that in New Hampshire - to accomplish one of the most recommended steps you can take to protect yourself from fraud. Andover state Sen. Barbara … Continue Reading
September 15, 2017
Reuters: U.S. Senator Warren introduces Equifax bill, launches industry probe
WASHINGTON, Sept 15 (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren said on Friday she has begun an investigation into Equifax's massive data breach, and along with 11 other Democratic senators, introduced a bill to allow consumers to freeze their credit for free. Equifax came under increased pressure from lawmakers and U.S. states on Friday, while Canada said that it, too, was opening an investigation into a data breach that exposed sensitive information of some 143 million people. Read more on the … Continue Reading
September 15, 2017
MarketWatch: Warren seeks answers from Equifax, introduces bill giving consumers more control over financial data
Sen. Elizabeth Warren is asking for an investigation into the causes of Equifax Inc.'s massive data breach and introducing a new bill that would give consumers more control over their credit data. In a letter to Equifax, the Massachusetts Democrat said the company "has failed to provide the necessary information describing exactly how this happened, and exactly how [its] security systems failed," adding that initial customer service information "did nothing to clarify the situation and … Continue Reading
September 14, 2017
Springfield Republican: Ginnie Mae launches task force to investigate VA-backed lenders; US Sen. Elizabeth Warren praises move
Ginnie Mae, the principal financing arm for government loans, will look into potentially misleading marketing practices involving U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs-backed lenders, officials announced Thursday. Acknowledging concerns U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren raised in a recent letter, Ginnie Mae Acting President and Chief Operating Officer Michael Bright said the Massachusetts Democrat is right to be bothered by the potential impacts aggressive mortgage marketing practices could have on … Continue Reading
September 13, 2017
Boston Globe: Warren, Capito push for partial fill prescription option
WASHINGTON - Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and West Virginia Senator Shelley Moore Capito want major players in the battle against the nation's opioid epidemic to consider promoting and analyzing "partial fill" policies, which allow patients to receive less than a full prescription's worth of medication on a single pharmacy trip. A clause in the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, passed in 2016, permits pharmacies to dispense portions of prescriptions for Schedule II drugs - a … Continue Reading
September 09, 2017
WAMC Northeast Public Radio: Warren Addresses Western Mass. Labor Gathering
Massachusetts U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, speaking at a labor day breakfast in western Massachusetts on Friday, denounced President Trump's moral leadership. The Democrat stressed values she said she shares with union leaders. Warren said away from the daily din of news reports about President Trump's latest tweet, or executive order, the administration and Republican-led Congress have worked steadily for months to changes rules affecting worker safety and wages. " It has been one punch … Continue Reading
September 08, 2017
Daily Hampshire Gazette: Warren discusses veterans issues, health care in visit to VA campus in Leeds
Northampton - U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren offered her office's full support on veterans' issues during a stop at the Northampton VA Medical Center in Leeds Friday afternoon. The Massachusetts senator also further explained why she intends to support single-payer health care legislation to be filed in Congress this fall, saying that guaranteeing everyone in the country is covered by health insurance is a "basic human right." Warren talked to staff members in the VA Central Western Massachusetts … Continue Reading
September 07, 2017
State House News Service: Warren, Baker on same page at DC hearing
Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren does not agree with President Donald Trump on much, if anything. Republican Gov. Charlie Baker is no fan of the president's either. So there they were Thursday, an unlikely duo, joining forces during a Senate hearing on Capitol Hill to tag team the White House in an effort to undermine Trump's threats to sabotage Obamacare by pulling back on federal funding that insurance companies use to lower out-of-pocket expenses for consumers. Read more on the … Continue Reading