House Republicans roll out landmark data privacy push

Source: Politico

The effort includes two bills — the SECURE Data Act, which deals with tech companies’ consumer data, and a second financial data privacy measure dubbed the GUARD Financial Data Act.

The new proposals would preempt dozens of state data laws and set a federal standard for how tech and finance companies handle their customers’ data. They would require companies to limit the collection of people’s data, and give consumers the right to request and access a copy of their data.

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House E&C ranking member, New Jersey Democrat Frank Palone, in a statement criticized the proposals and said they would protect “corporations and their bottom line”, not people’s privacy. “We should be protecting the little guy with a bill that empowers consumers, not one that preempts consumer protections at the behest of Big Tech,” Pallone added.

The new SECURE proposal includes language from similar state privacy laws, notably from Kentucky and Virginia, which do not allow people to sue companies for violating their privacy rights and limits enforcement to government regulators such as state attorneys general or the Federal Trade Commission.

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Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/22/house-republicans-roll-out-landmark-data-privacy-push-00886800

The SECURE Data Act is not a serious effort at tackling the urgent privacy crisis facing this country. It is weaker than many existing state laws (the very state laws that it would wipe off the books with its broad preemption provision). Some examples:

— Caitriona Fitzgerald (@caitrionafitz.bsky.social) 2026-04-22T21:38:00.250Z

Are you 1 of the ~80 million Americans in a state that allows you to use a one-click setting to opt-out of targeted ads & sale of your data? Too bad! Even though UOOMs already exist, this bill gives the federal gov't 3 YEARS to publish a report about whether such a tool is feasible. Embarrassing.

— Caitriona Fitzgerald (@caitrionafitz.bsky.social) 2026-04-22T21:38:00.251Z

Are you 1 of the ~9 million Americans in a state where your legislators banned the sale of your precise location data? Say goodbye to that protection! The SECURE Data Act allows the sale of your location data w/ consent. Don’t want to consent? Too bad, you can’t use the app. Hope you didn’t need it!

— Caitriona Fitzgerald (@caitrionafitz.bsky.social) 2026-04-22T21:38:00.252Z

Are you in the ~75% of Americans who think there should be more regulation to protect personal information? This bill doesn’t do that. House Republicans somehow took 65 pages to tell Big Tech “keep on doing what you’re doing.”

A weak federal standard is worse than no standard at all.

— Caitriona Fitzgerald (@caitrionafitz.bsky.social) 2026-04-22T21:38:00.253Z

This bill is a gift to Big Tech. It would wipe out a huge range of privacy, security, online safety, and civil rights laws w/o providing any meaningful protections for Americans. EPIC calls on any member of Congress who cares about protecting Americans online to oppose the SECURE Data Act.

— Caitriona Fitzgerald (@caitrionafitz.bsky.social) 2026-04-22T21:38:00.254Z