Congressman Collins Votes for Global Cooperation on Privacy Laws

Statement

Today, Congressman Doug Collins voted in favor of the Judicial Redress Act, which extends protections of the 1974 Privacy Act to citizens of certain allied nations which offer reciprocal protections to Americans.

"This bill is a step toward re-gaining trust and rebuilding cooperation with major allies, and a starting point for a broader conversation about privacy rights--a conversation that is sorely needed", said Congressman Collins, following the vote. "Many foreign countries allow Americans to seek redress from their government when they feel that their privacy rights have been violated, and America should grant citizens of these nations the same consideration. In order to foster international growth for American companies, especially the ones based in startup-friendly Georgia, we need to have a legal environment that protects consumers equally."

"The European Union has become increasingly concerned about whether the United States could provide a sufficient level of protection for personal data of EU citizens, and this legislation affords EU citizens the same protections Americans have abroad in the EU. We want to open the door for a broader dialogue on information sharing, data protection, and law enforcement between the US and our European allies."

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