A bill to improve the safety and security of Members of Congress, immediate family members of Members of Congress, and congressional staff.
- Bill Number
- S. 2144
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Congress
- Status
- Passed Senate
- Latest Action
- 2025-10-10: Held at the desk.
- Last Updated
- 2026-03-12T15:09:20Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This legislation aims to enhance the safety and security of Members of Congress, their immediate family members, and certain congressional staff by protecting their personal information from public disclosure and unauthorized sharing. It focuses on preventing the misuse of sensitive details that could lead to harassment, threats, or harm.
Key Provisions
- Definitions:
- "At-risk individual" includes current and former Members of Congress, their spouses, parents, siblings, children (under 18), those in a parental role, household members, and designated congressional employees (e.g., staff selected by members or officers).
- "Covered information" refers to sensitive personal details such as home addresses, personal phone numbers or emails, Social Security or driver's license numbers, bank/credit card details, vehicle identifiers, children's identities or school information, travel routes, and precise location data.
- "Data broker" is defined as a business that collects and sells personal information about non-customers for profit, with exclusions for news organizations, directory services, financial institutions, and health privacy-regulated entities.
- Government Agency Requirements:
- At-risk individuals can submit written notices to agencies (including executive, legislative, and judicial branches) to mark their and their family's covered information as private.
- Agencies must not publicly post such information and must remove it from public view within 72 hours of a request.
- Exceptions allow access with a signed release, court order, or confidentiality agreement; financial institutions under privacy laws are also exempt.
- Delegation and Assistance:
- Individuals can authorize agents or legislative officers (e.g., Sergeants at Arms) to submit requests on their behalf.
- Officers can provide lists of protected individuals to agencies, brokers, or businesses instead of individual requests, ensuring compliance.
- Data Brokers and Businesses:
- Data brokers are prohibited from selling, licensing, trading, or buying covered information.
- Other businesses, persons, or associations must remove covered information from public internet display within 72 hours of a written request and stop transferring it (e.g., selling or sharing).
- Exceptions include: information in news stories on public concerns, voluntarily published details by the individual after the law's enactment, or data from federal sources.
- Enforcement and Remedies:
- Violations allow at-risk individuals to sue in court for injunctive relief (to stop ongoing harm) or declaratory relief (a court statement clarifying rights).
- Rules of Construction:
- The law does not restrict press investigations, reporting on public matters, or legally required disclosures.
- It allows sharing with consent and government information sharing for official purposes.
- The law is to be interpreted broadly to maximize protection, with a severability clause ensuring that if one part is invalidated, the rest remains effective.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- This introduces new federal protections specifically tailored for congressional members, families, and staff, which were not previously mandated.
- It expands privacy safeguards beyond general laws (e.g., excluding election filings or candidate qualifications from coverage) and imposes direct prohibitions on data brokers, differing from broader consumer privacy frameworks like the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.
- Adds mandatory timelines (e.g., 72-hour removal) and civil remedies, creating enforceable obligations on government agencies and private entities not present in prior statutes focused on general public records or data sales.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Increases administrative burdens to process requests, mark records as private, and remove information quickly, potentially requiring updates to public databases and training for compliance.
- On Citizens (At-Risk Individuals): Provides stronger tools to shield personal details from online exposure, reducing risks of doxxing or threats, but may limit their own public sharing options without consent processes.
- On Businesses and Data Brokers: Restricts revenue from selling or displaying certain data, possibly leading to operational changes like enhanced verification systems; non-compliance could result in lawsuits.
- On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though it could indirectly affect U.S. lawmakers' security during foreign engagements by reducing domestic vulnerabilities.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Primary Beneficiaries: Members of Congress (current and former), their immediate family members, and designated congressional staff (e.g., aides or officers).
- Government Entities: Federal agencies across branches, legislative officers (e.g., Sergeants at Arms), and the Federal Election Commission (whose filings are exempt).
- Private Sector: Data brokers, online businesses, websites, and associations that post or sell personal information.
- Others: Courts (handling enforcement suits), news media (protected by exceptions), and the public (whose access to certain records may be limited).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Establishes a private right of action for violations, empowering individuals to seek court intervention without needing government prosecution; the broad construction clause prioritizes privacy but includes safeguards against overreach.
- Constitutional: Balances First Amendment rights by exempting journalistic speech and public concern reporting, avoiding broad censorship; potential challenges could arise if exceptions are seen as insufficiently protective of free expression, though severability helps maintain the law's core.
- Political: Addresses heightened security concerns for lawmakers amid rising threats (e.g., from political polarization), potentially fostering a safer environment for legislative work; it may spark debates on privacy equity, as protections are limited to congressional figures rather than all public officials.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2025-10-10: Held at the desk.
- 2025-10-10: Received in the House.
- 2025-10-08: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- 2025-09-29: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text: CR S6841-6842)
- 2025-09-29: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- 2025-09-29: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S6844)
- 2025-09-29: Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- 2025-09-29: Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- 2025-06-23: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- 2025-06-23: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- An Act To improve the safety and security of Members of Congress, immediate family members of Members of Congress, and congressional staff. — issued 2025-09-29 — PDF (18 pages)
- To improve the safety and security of Members of Congress, immediate family members of Members of Congress, and congressional staff. — issued 2025-06-23 — PDF (14 pages)