Investigate the release of Mikie Sherrill’s military records

The National Archives’ National Personnel Records Center released Rep. Mikie Sherrill’s military file with only minimal redactions — exposing her Social Security number, home addresses, life-insurance details, and other sensitive data. This breach puts a sitting member of Congress and her family at risk and sends a chilling message to every veteran who trusts the government to safeguard their information.

We’re calling on House and Senate leaders — specifically the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee — to launch an immediate investigation. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has already called for a criminal investigation.

The Archives has acknowledged the release was “in error” and alerted its inspector general. That’s not enough. Congress must determine how the whole file was handed to a political ally of Rep. Sherrill’s opponent, whether federal privacy laws were violated, and what actions will prevent future disclosures — including mandatory redaction protocols, staff retraining, and clear penalties for misuse or distribution of unlawfully released records.

If this can happen to a Navy veteran and member of Congress, it can happen to any service member or federal employee. We need action now to protect Rep. Sherrill, her family, and millions of Americans whose records are held by the government. Open the investigation immediately and implement safeguards before it’s too late.