American Privacy Restoration Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 3245
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-05-07: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Intelligence (Permanent Select), Financial Services, Foreign Affairs, Energy and Commerce, Education and Workforce, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2025-07-21T19:44:15Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The bill, titled the "American Privacy Restoration Act," aims to fully repeal the USA PATRIOT Act (Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001), a law passed shortly after the September 11 attacks to expand government powers in areas like surveillance and financial monitoring for national security purposes. By repealing it, the legislation seeks to restore privacy protections and legal standards that existed before the PATRIOT Act's enactment.
Key Provisions
- Short Title: The Act is officially named the "American Privacy Restoration Act."
- Repeal Clause: The entire USA PATRIOT Act (Public Law 107-56) is repealed. Additionally, any laws that were changed or amended by the PATRIOT Act are reverted to their exact wording and status as of October 25, 2001 (the day before the PATRIOT Act was signed into law).
The bill is concise, with no additional provisions for implementation, exceptions, or transitional measures.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- This would eliminate all expansions of government authority introduced by the PATRIOT Act, including enhanced surveillance tools (e.g., roving wiretaps and access to business records), broadened definitions of terrorism-related crimes, and increased information-sharing between law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
- Laws affected by the PATRIOT Act—spanning areas like criminal procedure, immigration, banking, and telecommunications—would automatically revert to their pre-2001 versions, effectively undoing over two decades of amendments without creating new rules.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Intelligence, law enforcement (e.g., FBI, NSA), and financial regulators would lose expanded tools for monitoring threats, potentially complicating counterterrorism and anti-money laundering efforts. Agencies might need to adapt operations or seek new legislative authority.
- On Citizens: Individuals would regain stronger privacy protections against warrantless searches and data collection, reducing risks of government overreach in personal communications and financial records. However, it could affect public safety measures if perceived threats increase.
- On International Relations: The repeal might strain cooperation with foreign allies on intelligence-sharing (e.g., via programs like those under the Five Eyes alliance), as the PATRIOT Act facilitated cross-border data exchanges. It could also signal a U.S. shift toward prioritizing civil liberties over aggressive security policies.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- U.S. Citizens and Privacy Advocates: Benefit from restored privacy rights but may face debates over reduced security measures.
- Law Enforcement and Intelligence Communities: Impacted by the loss of surveillance and investigative powers, requiring adjustments in threat detection.
- Financial Institutions and Businesses: Relieved of certain reporting and compliance burdens related to anti-terrorism financing but potentially exposed to higher risks of undetected illicit activities.
- Immigrants and Non-Citizens: Affected by the rollback of PATRIOT Act provisions on detention and deportation for suspected terrorism links.
- Congress and Judiciary: Committees like Judiciary, Intelligence, and Financial Services (as noted in the bill's referral) would oversee implementation, while courts might see challenges to ongoing cases based on repealed authorities.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal Implications: The repeal could invalidate ongoing investigations or prosecutions relying on PATRIOT Act tools, leading to legal challenges and a need for case-by-case reviews. It restores pre-2001 statutory language without addressing modern adaptations, potentially creating gaps in current law.
- Constitutional Implications: Aligns with Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures by limiting warrantless government access to personal data, addressing long-standing criticisms of the PATRIOT Act as overly intrusive. However, it raises questions about balancing national security with individual rights.
- Political Implications: Introduced by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) on May 7, 2025, and referred to multiple committees, the bill reflects ongoing partisan debates on surveillance reform. Its broad repeal approach could spark controversy, with supporters viewing it as a privacy win and opponents arguing it weakens defenses against terrorism, potentially influencing future elections or reauthorization efforts for related laws like the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Luna, Anna Paulina [R-FL-13]
Cosponsors (5)
Rep. Burchett, Tim [R-TN-2], Rep. Burlison, Eric [R-MO-7], Rep. Crane, Elijah [R-AZ-2], Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
Recent Actions
- 2025-05-07: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Intelligence (Permanent Select), Financial Services, Foreign Affairs, Energy and Commerce, Education and Workforce, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-05-07: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Intelligence (Permanent Select), Financial Services, Foreign Affairs, Energy and Commerce, Education and Workforce, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-05-07: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Intelligence (Permanent Select), Financial Services, Foreign Affairs, Energy and Commerce, Education and Workforce, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-05-07: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Intelligence (Permanent Select), Financial Services, Foreign Affairs, Energy and Commerce, Education and Workforce, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-05-07: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Intelligence (Permanent Select), Financial Services, Foreign Affairs, Energy and Commerce, Education and Workforce, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-05-07: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Intelligence (Permanent Select), Financial Services, Foreign Affairs, Energy and Commerce, Education and Workforce, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-05-07: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Intelligence (Permanent Select), Financial Services, Foreign Affairs, Energy and Commerce, Education and Workforce, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-05-07: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Intelligence (Permanent Select), Financial Services, Foreign Affairs, Energy and Commerce, Education and Workforce, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-05-07: Introduced in House
- 2025-05-07: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- American Privacy Restoration Act — issued 2025-05-07 — PDF (2 pages)