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H.R. 4400 113th Congress House

Data Accountability and Trust Act

Official title: To protect consumers by requiring reasonable security policies and procedures to protect data containing personal information, and to provide for nationwide notice in the event of a security breach.

Introduced: April 4, 2014 See on congress.gov
Commerce Administrative law and regulatory proceduresBusiness recordsComputer security and identity theftComputers and information technology
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Consumer affairsConsumer creditFederal Trade Commission (FTC)Federal preemptionFraud offenses and financial crimesInternet and video servicesInternet, web applications, social mediaMarketing and advertisingRight of privacy
This bill died when the 113th Congress ended
It never became law before the 113th Congress (2013–2014) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 11, 2014
Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade.
Apr 4, 2014
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Apr 4, 2014
Introduced in House
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 Latest action April 11, 2014

Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Data Accountability and Trust Act - Requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to promulgate regulations requiring each person engaged in interstate commerce that owns or possesses data containing personal information to establish specified security policies and procedures to treat and protect such information.

Requires the regulations to include methods for disposing of both electronic and nonelectronic data.

Requires information brokers to submit their security policies to the FTC in conjunction with a notification of a security breach notification or on FTC request. Authorizes the FTC to conduct information security practices audits of brokers who have had a security breach or require such brokers to conduct independent audits.

Requires information brokers to: (1) establish procedures to verify the accuracy of information that identifies individuals, (2) provide to individuals whose personal information it maintains a means to review it, (3) place a conspicuous notice on the Internet instructing individuals how to request access to such information, and (4) correct inaccurate information.

Directs the FTC to require information brokers to establish measures which facilitate the auditing or retracing of access to, or transmissions of, any data containing personal information.

Makes it unlawful for information brokers to obtain or disclose personal information by false pretenses (pretexting).

Requires such person to notify the FTC and affected individuals of information security breaches. Sets forth requirements concerning such notification, including method of notification requirements and timeliness requirements. Allows an exemption from notification requirements if such person determines that there is no reasonable risk of identity theft, fraud, or other unlawful conduct.

Preempts state information security laws.

 Related & companion bills 3
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4400: Data Accountability and Trust Act. 113th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-4400/
MLA
"H.R. 4400: Data Accountability and Trust Act." 113th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-4400/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4400, 113th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-4400/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4400: Data Accountability and Trust Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-4400/)
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