Espaillat, Lofgren, and Wyden Lead Congressional Efforts to Close Data Broker Loophole

WASHINGTON, DC — Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Representative Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) applaud the House Appropriations Committee’s recent adoption of Congressman Espaillat’s amendment to close the data broker loophole. 

The amendment, which received bipartisan support, prohibits the FBI, DEA, U.S. Marshals, and ATF from using taxpayer dollars to purchase the personal data of those living or traveling in the United States. The Espaillat amendment is derived from the Fourth Amendment is Not For Sale Act, bipartisan legislation authored by Rep. Lofgren, Senator Wyden, and Republican colleagues. 

Adoption of the amendment will deliver substantive protections to millions of residents and travelers in the United States, whose data have been purchased from third party vendors through the Data Broker Loophole and subsequently used by the Trump Administration to target immigrants, political opponents, among others. 

“Now more than ever in our digitally connected society, it is critical that our personal information remains protected and not easily accessible or sold to federal agents to further President Trump’s targeted attacks against immigrant communities and political opponents,” said Rep. Espaillat. “Adoption of my amendment was a major, bipartisan victory that will further the shared momentum in support of new, strengthened protections around our private data.” 

"We must prevent intelligence agencies from purchasing our data to get around the 4th Amendment," Rep. Lofgren said. "Our digital data opens a window into the most sensitive areas of our private life, and it's critical that Congress protects Americans' right to privacy. I thank Congressman Espaillat for introducing our legislation as an amendment, and I thank the House Appropriations Committee for protecting Americans' civil liberties." 

“Congressman Espaillat deserves a lot of credit for putting on a full court press to pass this amendment and secure commonsense protections for Americans’ rights,” said Sen. Wyden. “I’m proud to be working with Representatives Espaillat and Lofgren to stop Donald Trump from abusing personal data and end-run the Fourth Amendment. It is long past time for Congress to crack down on shady data brokers and government purchases of sensitive data without any court oversight.”