ABC-ED Act of 2025

Senate Bill

S. 1974

119th Congress

ABC-ED Act of 2025

In Committee

Introduced:Jun 5, 2025

Primary Sponsor

Margaret Wood Hassan

Senator

Democratic

NH

Cosponsors

5

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Foreign Trade and International Finance

Summary

This bill aims to protect the personal data of Americans from being exploited by foreign governments and adversaries. It directs the Department of Commerce to identify certain types of personal data that could be harmful to national security if exported, and to impose controls on exporting that data to limit its use by foreign entities.

Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

SponsorMargaret Wood Hassan (D-NH)

Introduced6/5/2025

StatusRead twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

ChamberSenate

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Vote Prediction

ABC-ED Act of 2025

This bill aims to protect the personal data of Americans from being exploited by foreign governments and adversaries. It directs the Department of Commerce to identify certain types of personal data that could be harmful to national security if exported, and t

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This bill aims to protect the personal data of Americans from being exploited by foreign governments and adversaries. It directs the Department of Commerce to identify certain types of personal data that could be harmful to national security if exported, and to impose controls on exporting that data to limit its use by foreign entities.

Bill Number: 1974
Sponsor: Margaret Wood Hassan (D-NH)
Introduced: 6/5/2025
Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Policy Area: Foreign Trade and International Finance

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: ABC-ED Act of 2025
Bill Number: 1974
Sponsor: Margaret Wood Hassan (D-NH)
Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Introduced: 6/5/2025
Summary: This bill aims to protect the personal data of Americans from being exploited by foreign governments and adversaries. It directs the Department of Commerce to identify certain types of personal data that could be harmful to national security if exported, and to impose controls on exporting that data

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill aims to protect the personal data of Americans from being exploited by foreign governments and adversaries. It directs the Department of Commerce to identify certain types of personal data that could be harmful to national security if exported, and to impose controls on exporting that data to limit its use by foreign entities.

Last updated: 12/30/2025

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service summary

Protecting Americans' Data From Foreign Surveillance Act of 2023 This bill establishes certain export controls on personal data of U.S. nationals and individuals living in the United States. Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Commerce (in coordination with specified federal agencies) to identify categories of personal data that could be exploited by foreign governments or foreign adversaries and harm U.S. national security if exported, reexported, or in-country transferred in a quantity that exceeds the threshold established by Commerce. The bill outlines the requirements for establishing this threshold. Commerce must seek to balance the need to protect personal data from exploitation by foreign governments and foreign adversaries against the likelihood of (1) impacting legitimate business activities, research activities, and other activities that do not harm the national security of the United States; or (2) chilling speech protected by the First Amendment. The bill also requires Commerce to impose appropriate controls on the export, reexport, or in-country transfer of covered personal data, including through interim controls (e.g., informing a person that a license is required). Commerce may not impose a requirement for a license or other authorization pursuant to specified transactions, such as those in which the personal data is encrypted with technology that is certified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The bill applies certain export control penalties to officers or employees of an organization who knew or should have known that another employee was directed to illegally export covered personal data in violation of this bill.

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Establishes export controls on personal data of U.S. citizens and residents that could be exploited by foreign governments or adversaries
Requires the Department of Commerce to determine which categories of personal data should be subject to export controls, balancing national security needs with impacts on business and free speech
Allows the Department of Commerce to impose licensing requirements or other controls on the export of covered personal data, with some exceptions for encrypted data

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

If this bill becomes law, it would affect companies and organizations that handle and export personal data of Americans. They would need to comply with new export control requirements, which could impact their business activities and data-sharing practices. Individual Americans would also be affected, as their personal data would be subject to additional protections to prevent it from being exploited by foreign entities.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Foreign Trade and International Finance

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

1974, 119th Congress (2025). "ABC-ED Act of 2025". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-s-1974

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