EPIC’s statement on the House GOP SECURE Data Act and GUARD Financial Data Act

Washington, D.C. — Today, House Republicans unveiled two so-called “privacy” bills that play directly into the hands of Big Tech and outright fail to protect Americans’ personal data.

EPIC’s statement on the SECURE Data Act:

• “This bill would wipe out a huge range of privacy, security, online safety, and civil rights laws without providing any meaningful protections for Americans.
  
  “A weak federal standard is worse than no standard at all. We are disappointed that House Energy and Commerce Republicans have released a privacy bill that would empower Big Tech to track everything we do online and sell our data to the highest bidder.
  
  “Congress should build on the bipartisan federal bill from last session and on state laws that actually protect Americans online. EPIC has published multiple reports explaining how laws like the SECURE Data Act fail at protecting our privacy. And Big Tech has made it very clear that a weak national standard is their top priority.
  
  “This bill would be a huge gift to Big Tech and would take away privacy protections from millions of Americans across the country. Any member of Congress who cares about protecting Americans online should oppose the SECURE Data Act. This legislation is not a serious effort at tackling the urgent privacy crisis facing this country.” 
  
  – Caitriona Fitzgerald, Deputy Director and Policy Director

EPIC’s statement on the GUARD Financial Data Act:

• “The GUARD Act relies on an outdated notice-and-choice regime, giving financial entities a free pass to continue abusing their customers’ privacy so long as they disclose what they’re doing in a long privacy notice no one ever reads. EPIC has urged Congress for years to replace the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act’s exploitable standard with real privacy protections, but unfortunately the GUARD Act gives a green light to data abuse.” 
  
  – Alan Butler, Executive Director and President

Additional resources:

• The State Data Privacy Act: A Proposed Model State Privacy Bill
• EPIC’s 2025 The State of Privacy report
• A primer on U.S. State Privacy Laws
• February 8, 2023: EPIC Urges Financial Services Committee to Strengthen Privacy Bill
• March 19, 2026: EPIC Urges House Financial Services Committee to Protect Financial Privacy

Please contact [email protected] with interview requests or for further comment on the bills.