Veteran DATA Act

Summary#

This bill, the Veteran DATA Act, stops the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from signing contracts that let contractors sell veterans' sensitive personal information. It requires the VA to add or update contract clauses that ban monetizing, selling, or otherwise misusing covered information. The VA must issue guidance for staff and contractors on spotting and preventing such misuse, and must report to the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees within one year with the contract clause, the guidance, and a summary of actions taken. "Covered information" includes protected health information and personally identifiable information (including anonymized data) and explicitly references section 552a of title 5, sections 5701 and 7332 of title 38, parts 160, 161, and 164 of title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and any other laws the Secretary identifies.

What it means for you#

• Veterans and their families: VA contractors will be prohibited from selling or otherwise monetizing veterans' health records and personal data covered by the bill.
• VA employees and contractors: Contracts that handle covered information must include clauses that ban monetization and misuse, and staff must follow new guidance to identify and report violations.
• Congress: The VA must deliver a report to the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees within one year with the new clause, guidance, and a summary of compliance steps.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

The bill's text aims to protect veterans' sensitive information by banning contractors from selling or otherwise monetizing that data, adding contract protections, issuing guidance, and providing a one-year report to congressional veterans' committees.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.