This bill aims to protect the personal data of U.S. citizens from being transferred to foreign entities influenced by China. It gives the President more power to regulate transactions involving sensitive personal data and impose sanctions on foreign companies and individuals believed to be facilitating China's military, intelligence, or surveillance efforts.
Latest Action
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 43.
AI Summary
Plain-English explanation of this bill
This bill aims to protect the personal data of U.S. citizens from being transferred to foreign entities influenced by China. It gives the President more power to regulate transactions involving sensitive personal data and impose sanctions on foreign companies and individuals believed to be facilitating China's military, intelligence, or surveillance efforts.
Last updated: 12/29/2025
Official Summary
Congressional Research Service summary
<p><b>Deterring America’s Technological Adversaries Act or DATA Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires federal actions to protect the sensitive personal data of U.S. persons, with a particular focus on prohibiting the transfer of such data to foreign persons influenced by China.</p> <p>The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) authorizes the President to regulate various commercial transactions and to block foreign-owned property and assets subject to U.S. jurisdiction. An exemption to IEEPA (i.e., the Berman Amendment) blocks the President from regulating information and informational materials. This bill specifies that sensitive personal data is not information or informational materials exempt from regulation under IEEPA.</p> <p>The bill requires the Department of the Treasury to issue a directive prohibiting U.S. persons from engaging in any transaction with any person who knowingly provides or may transfer sensitive personal data subject to U.S. jurisdiction to any foreign person subject to Chinese influence.</p> <p>The bill also establishes new sanctions on certain transactions related to connected software applications. For example, the President must impose a sanction on any foreign person that knowingly operates, directs, or deals in a connected software application that is subject to the jurisdiction of China and is reasonably believed to have been or may be used to facilitate or contribute to China's military, intelligence, censorship, surveillance, cyber, or information campaigns. </p> <p>The President must determine whether reasonable grounds exist for concluding that specified entities (e.g., TikTok) meet the criteria under the bill for purposes of applying a directive by Treasury or for imposing sanctions.</p>
Key Points
Main provisions of the bill
Specifies that sensitive personal data is not exempt from regulation under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), giving the President more authority to control data transfers.
Requires the Department of the Treasury to prohibit U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with foreign entities who may transfer sensitive data to China.
Establishes new sanctions on foreign persons and companies that operate software applications subject to Chinese influence that could aid China's military or surveillance efforts.
Directs the President to determine if entities like TikTok meet the criteria for data transfer restrictions or sanctions under the bill.
How This Impacts Americans
Potential effects on citizens and communities
If passed, this bill would primarily impact U.S. citizens by protecting their sensitive personal data from being accessed by the Chinese government or entities under Chinese influence. It could also affect U.S. companies and individuals who do business with China-linked foreign entities, as well as Chinese-owned software applications and their users in the United States.
Policy Areas
Primary Policy Area
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Related Subjects
Asia
China
Computer security and identity theft
Congressional oversight
Congressional-executive branch relations
Europe
India
Internet, web applications, social media
Israel
Middle East
+6 more
Scope & Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction Level
federal
Congressional Session
119th Congress
Citation Reference
1153, 119th Congress (2025). "Rural Physician Workforce Production Act of 2025". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-1153
