Data Privacy Measure Protects Americans from Data Brokers, Warrantless AI Surveillance
Washington, D.C. — On Wednesday, the House Appropriations Committee adopted an amendment offered by Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) to a major funding bill that would enact new privacy protections against data brokers. The amendment includes language that mirrors the Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act, which would close the so-called “data broker loophole” and prevent the government and law enforcement from bypassing the courts and buying Americans’ online data, including browser histories and location information. A similar bill was passed by a bipartisan majority in the House in 2024. Demand Progress has helped lead a bipartisan coalition in support of this legislation and other safeguards against warrantless surveillance.
The following is a statement from Demand Progress Senior Policy Advisor Hajar Hammado:
“This is a major victory for our privacy rights and a clear sign of momentum for the bipartisan chorus of Americans, progressive and conservative alike, calling for privacy protections against abusive government surveillance. Without this desperately needed legislation, the government can bypass the courts to purchase our browser histories and location data and feed that into AI surveillance systems. Congress must stop this blatant end-run around the Fourth Amendment before it’s too late. We applaud Rep. Espaillat for introducing this amendment and for his continued leadership on privacy rights.”
The amendment was adopted 32-25, with the following appropriators voting in favor:
Aguilar (D-CA), Bishop (D-GA), Case (D-HI), Cloud (R-TX), Clyburn (D-SC), Clyde (R-GA), Cuellar (D-TX), Dean (D-PA), Delauro (D-CT), Escobar (D-TX), Espaillat (D-NY), Frankel (D-FL), Harder (D-CA), Harris (R-MD), Hoyer (D-MD), Ivey (D-MD), Kaptur (D-OH), Lee (D-NV), Levin (D-CA), McCollum (D-MN), Meng (D-NY), Moore (R-WV), Morelle (D-NY), Mrvan (D-IN), Perez (D-WA), Pingree (D-ME), Pocan (D-WI), Quigley (D-IL), Torres (D-CA), Underwood (D-IL), Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Watson Coleman (D-NJ)