Today, on National Data Privacy Day, House Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Cathy McMorris (R-WA) and Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee Republican Leader Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), along with Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Rodger Wicker (R-MS) and Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security Subcommittee Ranking Member Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) urged President Biden to work with Congress to develop a national privacy and data security law this year. This letter renews their request from July 2021 that has yet to receive a reply from the President.
Highlights from the letter:
“We write to renew our call to you to work with Congress to enact a nationwide consumer privacy and data security law this year.
“Since we last wrote six months ago, we have neither received a response from you nor seen meaningful activity on the part of the executive branch to protect the data privacy of U.S. consumers. However, we have seen several troubling reports about the myriad ways Americans’ personal information is being misused and abused. Recent disturbing revelations about Big Tech companies exploiting the data and online habits of children and teens show just how urgent it is for Congress to act to protect the data privacy of our youth and the broader public.
“Today’s international commemoration of Data Privacy Day marks an opportunity to commit to doing what more than 100 countries have already done: establish a baseline privacy law in the United States.
“This is a national imperative for maintaining a strong and secure digital economy. We hope you will join us in this effort to give Americans more control over their personal information, provide meaningful safeguards over their data, and restore trust in the safety and security of our online ecosystem.”
CLICK HERE for the full letter to President Biden.
Congress must enact a national consumer privacy and data security law, not a patchwork of conflicting and confusing state statutes. Last November, House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans unveiled a comprehensive legislative framework that establishes one national privacy standard to protect Americans and sets clear rules for consumer privacy and data security in the U.S.
This national standard provides clear rules of the road and give Americans the same data protections wherever they go. Privacy does not end at state lines and Americans deserve better than a patchwork of different and conflicting state laws. Every Republican Member of our Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee will be leading on our solutions to protect people’s privacy.
CLICK HERE to read what industry experts and top voices in privacy are saying about the Energy and Commerce Republicans’ new consumer privacy and data security framework.
CLICK HERE to read the op-ed for the Washington Examiner by Leader Rodgers, Sen. Wicker, and FTC Commissioner Noah Phillips on why Congress needs to provide durable, fine-tuned privacy legislation that will serve Americans for decades to come.
