Congressman Brett Guthrie, Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Gus Bilirakis, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, announced on May 27 a hearing to examine legislation that would establish a federal comprehensive privacy and data security law. The hearing is scheduled for June 3 at 10:15 AM ET in the Rayburn House Office Building and will focus on H.R. 8413, known as the SECURE Data Act.
Chairmen Guthrie and Bilirakis said, “Americans across the political spectrum want a national data privacy and data security standard with strong, enforceable protections. The SECURE Data Act follows the successful model many red, blue, and purple states have already enacted into law, putting our constituents in charge of their data and holding bad actors accountable. We look forward to this conversation about the bill’s critical safeguards that include provisions to defend Americans’ digital identities, while supporting innovation and job creators in every sector of the economy.”
Caitriona Fitzgerald, Deputy Director at the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), testified before the subcommittee regarding concerns about the SECURE Data Act. According to Fitzgerald, “There is broad bipartisan agreement that Americans need stronger privacy protection. Polls consistently show that consumers across the political spectrum are tired of the status quo. Americans do not want grocery stores using personalized pricing to determine just how much they will tolerate paying for a carton of eggs. Consumers using an app to compare gas prices do not want their location sold to increase their insurance rates. And none of us want U.S. forces in war zones surveilled and targeted by adversaries using data collected for targeted advertising.” Fitzgerald said that while America needs a strong federal data privacy law, “the SECURE Data Act is not the right approach.”
Fitzgerald outlined several concerns with the bill: it does not require real data minimization; it allows companies to collect or sell sensitive personal information with only opt-in consent; it lacks adequate protections for minors online; it omits key consumer rights present in state laws such as universal opt-out mechanisms; it does not provide a private right of action for individuals; and its broad preemption provisions could override stronger state-level protections.
The Electronic Privacy Information Center contributes to global privacy discourse by participating in international conferences, advocating for data protection standards worldwide, focusing on protecting privacy through research and litigation efforts led by President Marc Rotenberg along with other experts from its base where it coordinates national initiatives, according to its official website.
The hearing will be open to both public attendance and press coverage with livestream access available online.
