Protecting Americans' Data From Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024

Floor Speech

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Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I am thankful for the opportunity to talk about this because Americans are very worried about how their data is being used. They want to know who is collecting it, where it is going, and how it is being used.

For far too long, people's privacy has been invaded. They don't know exactly how, and they don't know exactly who. In fact, one of the big players, of course, are the data brokers.

Now, Madam Speaker, ask anyone on the street: Who are data brokers? What do they do?

These are the people who buy, sell, and trade your information. Most people don't have a clue about that.

So this legislation makes a good step forward when it says that none of this information that is collected by data brokers can go to China or any other adversary information that we have listed in this legislation.

It is time, though, I want to add, that while this bill is important for national security and for the security of our people, right now people's data is at risk and children's data is at risk.

We need comprehensive reform on privacy, and we did that in the Energy and Commerce Committee last Congress where we passed the American Data and Privacy Protection Act, and we need to go forward.

People are tired of not only wondering how are so many people collecting our data but how are they buying and selling it. It is a national security interest. This bill is important, but we have to go a step further.

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