Politiparty
Politiparty

118th Congress Foreign Trade and International Finance

S. 1974: Protecting Americans' Data From Foreign Surveillance Act of 2023

Introduced

  1. Introduced (completed)Jun 14, 2023
  2. Passed Senate (not reached)
  3. Passed House (not reached)
  4. To the President (not reached)
  5. Became law (not reached)

Summary

Introduced in Senate, Jun 14, 2023

Protecting Americans' Data From Foreign Surveillance Act of 2023

This bill establishes certain export controls on personal data of U.S. nationals and individuals living in the United States.

Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Commerce (in coordination with specified federal agencies) to identify categories of personal data that could be exploited by foreign governments or foreign adversaries and harm U.S. national security if exported, reexported, or in-country transferred in a quantity that exceeds the threshold established by Commerce.

Read the full summary

The bill outlines the requirements for establishing this threshold. Commerce must seek to balance the need to protect personal data from exploitation by foreign governments and foreign adversaries against the likelihood of (1) impacting legitimate business activities, research activities, and other activities that do not harm the national security of the United States; or (2) chilling speech protected by the First Amendment.

The bill also requires Commerce to impose appropriate controls on the export, reexport, or in-country transfer of covered personal data, including through interim controls (e.g., informing a person that a license is required). Commerce may not impose a requirement for a license or other authorization pursuant to specified transactions, such as those in which the personal data is encrypted with technology that is certified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

The bill applies certain export control penalties to officers or employees of an organization who knew or should have known that another employee was directed to illegally export covered personal data in violation of this bill.

Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.

Roll calls

0 votes on this bill

No roll call votes have been held on this bill.

Amendments

0 offered

No amendments were offered to this bill.

Cosponsors

5

Bipartisan support.

Who scored on this bill

6 points earned
  1. 1Ron Wyden D-OR SponsorDrew cross-party cosponsors, introduced2 events+6
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Introductions and cosponsorships count toward weekly caps and show no points.

Other bills by Ron Wyden

History

  1. Jun 14, 2023Introduced in the Senate by Ron Wyden.
Show the full action history (2 actions)
  1. Jun 14, 2023Introduced in Senate
  2. Jun 14, 2023Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.