Pallone’s Bipartisan Bill to Protect Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversaries Passes House in Unanimous Vote

The Protecting Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024 Would Prohibit Data Brokers from Selling Americans’ Sensitive Personal Information to Our Foreign Adversaries

Washington, DC – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 7520, the Protecting Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024, by a vote of 414-0.

“Today the House made it clear that Americans’ private information is not for sale. Most Americans are unaware that data brokers compile detailed dossiers about their interests, beliefs, actions, and movements. Data brokers then sell billions of data elements on nearly every consumer in the United States, including information about children and active members of the U.S. military.

“This sensitive information allows data brokers and their customers to make invasive inferences about an individual, including inferences about a person’s travel patterns, health, political beliefs, personal interests, and financial well-being. The breadth and scope of sensitive personal information aggregated by data brokers makes the sale of that data to our foreign adversaries a unique threat to national security and individual privacy. Right now, there are no restrictions on who can buy this information. Today, Congress took a significant step by specifically prohibiting the sale of Americans’ sensitive information to our foreign adversaries. Today’s unanimous vote should help build momentum for action in the Senate soon so that we can get this important bipartisan legislation signed into law.”

Pallone serves as the top Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over consumer protection and technology policy. The Protecting Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024 would prohibit data brokers from selling or otherwise making available Americans’ sensitive information to the People’s Republic of China, North Korea, Russia, and Iran or entities controlled by them.