NE Washington News

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr., (D-NJ) have introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at safeguarding Americans' sensitive personal data from foreign adversaries. The bill, titled H.R. 7520, known as the Protecting Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversaries Act, seeks to prevent data brokers from selling people's sensitive personal data to countries like China and other foreign entities.

Rodgers and Pallone emphasized the importance of protecting Americans' personal information, particularly that of military personnel, stating, “Ensuring the security of Americans’ sensitive personal information, especially that of our military men and women, is more important than ever before—both for individuals as well as our national security.”

The legislation aims to address the vulnerability posed by data brokers profiting from selling sensitive personal information to foreign adversaries. Rodgers and Pallone highlighted the need to prevent data brokers from freely selling Americans' sensitive information, including details about military members and children. They expressed their belief that this bill is a crucial step towards safeguarding personal data and enhancing national security.

The bill grants the Federal Trade Commission enforcement authority and empowers the agency to seek civil penalties exceeding $50,000 for each instance in which a data broker violates the prohibition. The lawmakers emphasized the significance of this legislation in curbing the exploitation of Americans' data by foreign entities.

In their joint efforts, Rodgers and Pallone are committed to advancing the bill to protect Americans' personal data and strengthen national security. For those interested, the full text of the bill is available for review on the Committee's website.