Press Releases

Today, Representatives Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Jerry Nadler (NY-10), Jim Sensenbrenner (WI-05), and Rodney Davis (IL-13) reintroduced the Email Privacy Act, bipartisan legislation that would create 21^st Century protections for personal emails and other digital records.

Currently, law enforcement can seize any email older than 180 days without a warrant. The bill would require law enforcement to obtain a warrant to access emails and other digital records and allow providers to notify customers when government agencies request their data.

“Updating our laws to reflect the way the world works in the 21^st Century is one of my top priorities in Congress. When laws protect a letter in a filing cabinet more than an email on a server, it’s clear our policies are woefully outdated,” said DelBene. “The Email Privacy Act is a powerful step forward toward enhancing Americans’ civil liberties.”

A broad range of civil liberties and technology industry stakeholders have supported this legislation in the past.

DelBene is a champion of personal data privacy and updating antiquated technology laws. She is also the sponsor of the Information Transparency and Personal Data Control Act (H.R. 2013), which would give people control over their most sensitive information.

The text of the Email Privacy Act can be found here.