National Consumer Protection Week, 2005

Proclamation 7869 of February 7, 2005

National Consumer Protection Week, 2005

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

This year's National Consumer Protection Week focuses
on the impact and problems caused by identity theft and
on the steps Government is taking to safeguard personal
information. Today, many Americans reveal personal
information when making purchases, borrowing money, or
opening a bank or credit card account. This information
makes it convenient to conduct routine transactions,
but consumers must take precautions to protect their
names, addresses, phone numbers, Social Security
numbers, and account numbers against fraud and theft.

As one of the highest impact financial crimes in our
Nation, identity theft can undermine the basic trust on
which our economy depends. Millions of Americans have
had their identity stolen, costing them and our
country's businesses billions of dollars. Identity
theft can shake consumers' confidence, destroy a
person's financial reputation, and damage lifelong
efforts to build and maintain a good credit rating.

We are acting to protect citizens from these crimes and
the grief and problems they cause. During the last 2
years, I have signed the Fair and Accurate Credit
Transactions Act of 2003, which makes it easier for
consumers to detect and protect themselves from fraud,
and the Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act, which
strengthens the penalties for identity theft. The U.S.
Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, and the United States Secret Service are
working with State and local officials to stop the
criminal networks responsible for much of the identity
theft in America. The Federal Trade Commission also
trains local law enforcement in detecting and
investigating identity theft, and they have set up the
Identity Theft Data Clearinghouse, which tracks
complaints across the country and provides these
records to prosecutors seeking to shut down those who
steal our citizens' good names.

Consumers can learn to prevent identity theft by
visiting the National Consumer Protection Week website,
www.consumer.gov/ncpw. Working together, we can reduce
this growing problem and protect the financial security
of our citizens and our Nation.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United
States, do hereby proclaim February 6 through February
12, 2005, as National Consumer Protection Week. I call
upon government officials, industry leaders, and
consumer advocates to provide citizens with information
about identity theft and how they can be responsible
consumers, and I encourage all citizens to take an
active role in protecting their personal information.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
seventh day of February, in the year of our Lord two
thousand five, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and twenty-ninth.

(Presidential Sig.)B