When I came to Congress, I came to bring what I thought was a real-world business perspective to government because, in the business world, I spent over 20 years in the high-tech industry, but it certainly was not unique. Melissa Bean Read Quote
Many seventh graders I know in Illinois, as well as around the Nation, are studying the Constitution. I was pretty impressed with the quality of education our children are receiving because they had not expected me to ask them about it. Melissa Bean Read Quote
The IRS is currently considering a rule that would make it easier for tax preparers to disclose the private information contained in tax returns – including name, address, Social Security number, employer, income, and charitable donations. Melissa Bean Read Quote
Even the best data security systems can’t protect private taxpayer information from entrepreneurial foreign businesses than can make huge profits selling U.S. taxpayer information. Melissa Bean Read Quote
Social security, bank account, and credit card numbers aren’t just data. In the wrong hands they can wipe out someone’s life savings, wreck their credit and cause financial ruin. Melissa Bean Read Quote
Identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the nation – especially in the suburbs. Melissa Bean Read Quote
The budget enforcement rules of the 1990s were an important part of getting the budget back into balance. It was done on a bipartisan basis. Those pay-as-you-go rules were tested and they worked. We are now in a one-party system, and we have thrown them out. Melissa Bean Read Quote
Small businesses are the economic drivers of our country, providing the stimulus our communities need. Melissa Bean Read Quote
As part of my efforts to fight identity theft, I worked with my colleagues on the Financial Services Committee to strengthen consumer protection with a reasonable notification requirement. Melissa Bean Read Quote
Under the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star Program, homes are independently verified to be measurably more energy efficient than average houses. Melissa Bean Read Quote
