Rep. French Hill and Rep. Dan Goldman introduced the Providing Resources and Oversight to Ensure Confidentiality of Those who serve (PROTECT) Act on Apr. 27, aiming to improve data security for public officials by directing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop best practices for protecting personally identifiable information across all levels of government.
The proposed legislation responds to a rise in targeted violence, doxxing, and harassment against public servants in recent years. Supporters say the bill is designed to provide clear guidance so that agencies can better protect those serving their communities from attacks enabled by exposed personal data.
Hill said, “Public servants sign up to better their country and communities. Unfortunately, more and more are becoming the targets of threats and harassment, and some have already been hurt, like my friend Majority Leader Steve Scalise. Others have been killed, as we saw in Minnesota with the horrific assassination of State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark.” He added that while high-profile attacks attract attention, risks extend to all levels: “This past weekend, a would-be assassin targeted the president and administration officials. Yet while violence targeting politicians gets the most attention, this threat impacts public servants at every level… The PROTECT Act will give agencies at the state, local, and federal level the guidance they need to better protect the people who serve our communities.”
Goldman said political violence is rising as bad actors exploit online information: “In a time of rising political violence, bad actors are taking advantage of the wealth of online information to attack public figures. The bipartisan PROTECT Act will direct DHS to provide guidance… Public servants should be able to serve those whom they represent while feeling safe and secure.”
Recent incidents cited include shootings involving House Majority Whip Steve Scalise in 2017; an attack on federal Judge Esther Salas’s family in 2020; an armed threat against Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2022; an assault on Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband; arson at Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence; as well as fatal attacks on Minnesota legislators Melissa Hortman and John Hoffman’s families.
Currently there is no standardized approach across government agencies for protecting such sensitive information—a gap this bill aims to fill by leveraging DHS expertise so agencies can make informed decisions about reducing risk.
Hill has represented Arkansas’ 2nd district since replacing Tim Griffin in Congress in 2015 according to Wikipedia. He was born in Little Rock in 1956 where he currently resides according to his congressional biography. Hill graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1975.
