S2144-119

What This Bill Does

This bill creates a personal-information safety framework for Members of Congress, immediate family members, household members, former Members, designated congressional staff, and congressional candidates. It bars government agencies from publicly posting covered information, requires removal within 72 hours after a written request, and lets applicable legislative officers submit bulk requests for covered congressional personnel.

The bill also reaches private actors. Data brokers may not knowingly sell, license, trade, or purchase covered information of protected individuals, and websites or online platforms must remove covered information and stop transferring it after a valid request. Protected people can sue for injunctive or declaratory relief when covered information is disclosed in violation of the statute.

Who Benefits and How

Members of Congress, immediate family members, household members, former Members, designated congressional staff, and congressional candidates benefit because home addresses, personal phone numbers, Social Security numbers, family information, and similar data become harder to publish or monetize. The Sergeant at Arms of the Senate, Secretary of the Senate, and House Sergeant at Arms gain statutory authority to submit protection requests for covered congressional personnel.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Government agencies must identify and remove covered information from public records within the statutory deadline after receiving a valid request. Data brokers, websites, search platforms, and online services must build removal and transfer controls for covered information. Operators that ignore requests face litigation risk from protected individuals seeking court orders.

Key Provisions

• Defines covered information and protected at-risk individuals, including Members of Congress, former Members, immediate family members, household members, designated congressional employees, and candidates.
• Requires government agencies to remove covered information from public records within 72 hours after a written request.
• Prohibits data brokers from knowingly selling, licensing, trading, purchasing, or otherwise making covered information available.
• Requires websites and online platforms to remove covered information and stop transferring it after a valid request.
• Authorizes applicable legislative officers to submit requests on behalf of protected congressional personnel.
• Creates a private right of action for injunctive or declaratory relief when covered information is disclosed unlawfully.