PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Congressional Research Service
No official summary is available in the imported record yet.
People & committees
Rep. Massie, Thomas [R-KY-4] · R–KY
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Sep 22, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2026-09-02 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
The proposed Flock-Off Act would prohibit government agencies and federal funding recipients and subrecipients from using federal money for certain automated camera systems that capture and process images or recordings, extract vehicle or biometric information, convert that information into computer-readable data, and transmit the image, recording, or information to remote systems. The restrictions would cover acquiring and operating the cameras, supporting technology, and arrangements for access to their data, subject to exceptions.
This Act may be cited as the Flock-Off Act.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no Federal funds may be obligated or expended, directly or indirectly, by the head of any Government agency or by any recipient or subrecipient of Federal funds (including any State, local, or Tribal government)
(A) Purchase, lease, acquire, install, deploy, maintain, repair, replace, upgrade, or operate a covered camera system or any associated component.
(ii) Access to— (I) a covered camera system or any associated component; or (II) any data collected, generated, processed, retained, transmitted, or otherwise made available through a covered camera system or any associated component.
(A) automatically captures and processes an image or a recording of a motor vehicle or a license plate of a motor vehicle using machine learning or other automated image-processing technology to— (i) extract license plate numbers, motor vehicle characteristics, or other information from such image or recording; (ii) convert such information into computer-readable data; and (iii) transmit such image, recording, or information to a remote or cloud-based system for storage, analysis, retrieval, or sharing; or (B) automatically captures and processes an image or a recording of an individual using machine learning or other automated image processing technology to— (i) extract biometric data of such individual from such image or recording; (ii) convert such biometric data into computer-readable data; and (iii) transmit such image, recording, or biometric data to a remote or cloud-based system for storage, analysis, retrieval, or sharing.
Coverage would depend on what a device does. A fixed, mobile, or portable device would qualify if it automatically captures and processes an image or recording using machine learning or other automated image processing technology to extract information from a motor vehicle or license plate, or biometric data from an individual; convert the extracted information into computer-readable data; and transmit the image, recording, or extracted information to a remote or cloud-based system for storage, analysis, retrieval, or sharing. Each branch requires automatic capture and processing, extraction, conversion, and transmission; transmission may be of the image or recording rather than the extracted data.
The term covered camera system means any fixed, mobile, or portable photographic, video, optical, infrared, biometric, or other electronic device that— (A) automatically captures and processes an image or a recording of a motor vehicle or a license plate of a motor vehicle using machine learning or other automated image-processing technology to— (i) extract license plate numbers, motor vehicle characteristics, or other information from such image or recording; (ii) convert such information into computer-readable data; and (iii) transmit such image, recording, or information to a remote or cloud-based system for storage, analysis, retrieval, or sharing; or (B) automatically captures and processes an image or a recording of an individual using machine learning or other automated image processing technology to— (i) extract biometric data of such individual from such image or recording; (ii) convert such biometric data into computer-readable data; and (iii) transmit such image, recording, or biometric data to a remote or cloud-based system for storage, analysis, retrieval, or sharing.
Related components would include hardware, software, algorithms, databases, networks, cloud services, and platforms used to handle a covered system's data. Biometric data means information from physiological, biological, or behavioral characteristics that may establish or verify a person's identity, alone or with other information; examples include facial images, voiceprints, fingerprints, iris or retinal scans, and walking patterns.
The term associated component, with respect to a covered camera system, includes any hardware, software, algorithm, database, communications network, cloud-based service, or data analysis platform of, or used in connection with, such covered camera system to collect, store, process, analyze, compare, query, match, transmit, share, or retrieve data collected or generated by such covered camera system, including biometric data.
The term biometric data means any data derived from human physiological, biological, or behavioral characteristics that may be used, alone or in combination with other data, to establish or verify the identity of an individual, including any of the following data: (A) A facial image. (B) A voiceprint. (C) A fingerprint. (D) An iris or a retinal scan. (E) Gait pattern.
Subject to the bill's exceptions, government agencies and recipients and subrecipients of federal money—including state, local, and Tribal governments—could neither commit nor spend federal money, directly or indirectly, to purchase, lease, acquire, install, deploy, maintain, repair, replace, upgrade, or operate covered systems or components. The restriction would also bar reimbursements, subsidies, offsets, and other partial or full financial support for the prohibited activities and agreements.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no Federal funds may be obligated or expended, directly or indirectly, by the head of any Government agency or by any recipient or subrecipient of Federal funds (including any State, local, or Tribal government) to do any of the following: (A) Purchase, lease, acquire, install, deploy, maintain, repair, replace, upgrade, or operate a covered camera system or any associated component.
(C) Reimburse, subsidize, offset, or otherwise financially support, in whole or in part, an expenditure with respect to an action or arrangement described in subparagraph (A) or (B), respectively.
(b) Exceptions (1) Border exception Subsection (a) does not apply to any covered camera system or any associated component that— (A) is installed and operated within 1 mile of the northern border or the southern border; (B) is owned or operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection or by another Federal law enforcement agency or local law enforcement authority pursuant to a written agreement with U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and (C) is used primarily for border security or for the detection or interdiction of unlawful entry, human trafficking, drug trafficking, alien smuggling, or transnational criminal activity. (2) Tolling exception Notwithstanding subsection (a), funds made available under section 104(b) of title 23, United States Code, may be used for any covered camera system or associated component if— (A) the only purpose of such use is to collect, administer, or enforce a toll; and (B) any data collected from such use is used, accessed, retained, queried, disclosed, or shared only for such purpose.
The funding ban would extend to entering, renewing, extending, modifying, administering, or paying under covered contracts and other arrangements. These include subscriptions, licenses, and data-sharing agreements for system installation, maintenance, operation or management, access to systems or their data, and connected products or services such as cloud storage, network connections, technical support, and data analysis.
(B) Enter into, renew, extend, modify, administer, or make a payment under any contract, subscription, license, memorandum of understanding, data-sharing agreement, cooperative agreement, or other similar arrangement for any of the following: (i) The installation, maintenance, operation, or management of a covered camera system or any associated component. (ii) Access to— (I) a covered camera system or any associated component; or (II) any data collected, generated, processed, retained, transmitted, or otherwise made available through a covered camera system or any associated component. (iii) Hardware, software, cloud storage, network connectivity, technical support, data analysis, system integration, or any other product or service used in connection with a covered camera system or any associated component.
Within 180 days after enactment, government agency heads would have to take out of service and remove covered systems and components purchased, leased, installed, deployed, maintained, or operated wholly or partly with federal money, subject to applicable exceptions. The border exception expressly makes subsection (a) inapplicable to qualifying systems and components.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the head of each Government agency shall decommission and remove any covered camera system and any associated component purchased, leased, installed, deployed, maintained, or operated, in whole or in part, with Federal funds.
(1) Border exception Subsection (a) does not apply to any covered camera system or any associated component that— (A) is installed and operated within 1 mile of the northern border or the southern border; (B) is owned or operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection or by another Federal law enforcement agency or local law enforcement authority pursuant to a written agreement with U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and (C) is used primarily for border security or for the detection or interdiction of unlawful entry, human trafficking, drug trafficking, alien smuggling, or transnational criminal activity.
(2) Tolling exception Notwithstanding subsection (a), funds made available under section 104(b) of title 23, United States Code, may be used for any covered camera system or associated component if— (A) the only purpose of such use is to collect, administer, or enforce a toll; and (B) any data collected from such use is used, accessed, retained, queried, disclosed, or shared only for such purpose.
Within 180 days after enactment, as a condition of continued funding under the relevant federal program, recipients and subrecipients would have to stop operating covered systems and components they had operated partly or wholly using federal funds received under a federal program. They would also have to terminate, or decline to renew or extend, covered arrangements funded partly or wholly under that program, subject to applicable exceptions.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, as a condition of continuing to receive Federal funds under the relevant Federal program, each recipient and subrecipient shall— (i) cease operating any covered camera system and any associated component that the recipient or subrecipient has operated, in whole or in part, using Federal funds that the recipient or subrecipient received under a Federal program; and (ii) terminate, or decline to renew or extend, any arrangement described in paragraph (1)(B) to which the recipient or subrecipient is a party that is funded, in whole or in part, under such Federal program.
(b) Exceptions (1) Border exception Subsection (a) does not apply to any covered camera system or any associated component that— (A) is installed and operated within 1 mile of the northern border or the southern border; (B) is owned or operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection or by another Federal law enforcement agency or local law enforcement authority pursuant to a written agreement with U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and (C) is used primarily for border security or for the detection or interdiction of unlawful entry, human trafficking, drug trafficking, alien smuggling, or transnational criminal activity. (2) Tolling exception Notwithstanding subsection (a), funds made available under section 104(b) of title 23, United States Code, may be used for any covered camera system or associated component if— (A) the only purpose of such use is to collect, administer, or enforce a toll; and (B) any data collected from such use is used, accessed, retained, queried, disclosed, or shared only for such purpose.
If a recipient or subrecipient committed or spent federal funds in violation of the funding ban, the agency that provided the money would have to withhold further funding under that same program. Withholding would continue until the recipient or subrecipient repaid the U.S. Treasury the full amount committed or spent in violation.
If a recipient or subrecipient obligates or expends Federal funds that the recipient or subrecipient received under a Federal program in violation of paragraph (1), the head of the Government agency that provided such Federal funds to the recipient or subrecipient shall withhold further Federal funds under such Federal program from the recipient or subrecipient until the recipient or subrecipient reimburses the Treasury of the United States for the full amount of Federal funds obligated or expended in violation of such paragraph.
The border exception would remove qualifying systems and components from subsection (a)'s restrictions. They must be installed and operated within one mile of the northern or southern border; be owned or operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or by another federal law enforcement agency or local law enforcement authority under a written agreement with it; and be used primarily for border security or detecting or stopping unlawful entry, human trafficking, drug trafficking, alien smuggling, or transnational criminal activity.
(1) Border exception Subsection (a) does not apply to any covered camera system or any associated component that— (A) is installed and operated within 1 mile of the northern border or the southern border; (B) is owned or operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection or by another Federal law enforcement agency or local law enforcement authority pursuant to a written agreement with U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and (C) is used primarily for border security or for the detection or interdiction of unlawful entry, human trafficking, drug trafficking, alien smuggling, or transnational criminal activity.
A separate exception would permit funds made available under 23 U.S.C. 104(b) to support covered systems and components solely to collect, administer, or enforce tolls. All use, access, retention, querying, disclosure, or sharing of data collected through that use would also have to be solely for that toll purpose. The supplied source does not include the referenced law establishing which funds qualify.
(2) Tolling exception Notwithstanding subsection (a), funds made available under section 104(b) of title 23, United States Code, may be used for any covered camera system or associated component if— (A) the only purpose of such use is to collect, administer, or enforce a toll; and (B) any data collected from such use is used, accessed, retained, queried, disclosed, or shared only for such purpose.
The bill would use definitions from existing regulations and statutes for federal programs, recipients, subrecipients, government agencies, local law enforcement authorities, and the northern and southern borders. Those external definitions are not reproduced in the supplied source, so their full scope cannot be determined here.
(4) Federal program; recipient; subrecipient The terms Federal program, recipient; and subrecipient have the meaning given such terms in section 200.1 of title 2, Code of Federal Regulations. (5) Government agency The term Government agency has the meaning given that term in section 4 of the United States Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948 (22 U.S.C. 1433). (6) Local law enforcement authority The term local law enforcement authority has the meaning given that term in section 921(a) of title 18, United States Code. (7) Northern border; southern border The terms northern border and southern border have the meaning given such terms in section 602 of the Border Infrastructure and Technology Modernization Act of 2007 (6 U.S.C. 1401).
The supplied action snapshot, updated September 22, 2026, records introduction in the House and referral to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on September 2, 2026.
Source snapshot updated 2026-09-22T15:21:49Z. 2026-09-02: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. 2026-09-02: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2026-09-02. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy change attached to appropriations was identified after reviewing the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials, or establish any amendment's attachment history.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for a particular recipient or place was identified after reviewing the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials. Materials needed to assess formal earmark status are not supplied.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
Findings to examine
The findings identify narrow policy exceptions to the main restrictions in the supplied introduced text. Classification as a targeted benefit does not establish improper favoritism.
Qualifying border camera operations would receive an exemption from subsection (a), including its funding restrictions and existing-system requirements. The beneficiaries are U.S. Customs and Border Protection and qualifying federal or local law enforcement operations under written agreements with it. The exception applies only to systems and components installed and operated within one mile of the northern or southern border and used primarily for the specified border-security or enforcement purposes.
(1) Border exception Subsection (a) does not apply to any covered camera system or any associated component that— (A) is installed and operated within 1 mile of the northern border or the southern border; (B) is owned or operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection or by another Federal law enforcement agency or local law enforcement authority pursuant to a written agreement with U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and (C) is used primarily for border security or for the detection or interdiction of unlawful entry, human trafficking, drug trafficking, alien smuggling, or transnational criminal activity.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the head of each Government agency shall decommission and remove any covered camera system and any associated component purchased, leased, installed, deployed, maintained, or operated, in whole or in part, with Federal funds.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, as a condition of continuing to receive Federal funds under the relevant Federal program, each recipient and subrecipient shall— (i) cease operating any covered camera system and any associated component that the recipient or subrecipient has operated, in whole or in part, using Federal funds that the recipient or subrecipient received under a Federal program; and (ii) terminate, or decline to renew or extend, any arrangement described in paragraph (1)(B) to which the recipient or subrecipient is a party that is funded, in whole or in part, under such Federal program.
Toll operations using funds made available under 23 U.S.C. 104(b) would receive a limited exception allowing support for otherwise covered cameras and components. Both the funded use and every listed handling of the resulting data must be solely for collecting, administering, or enforcing tolls. The referenced funding law is absent, so the full scope of qualifying funds and beneficiaries cannot be established from the supplied source.
(2) Tolling exception Notwithstanding subsection (a), funds made available under section 104(b) of title 23, United States Code, may be used for any covered camera system or associated component if— (A) the only purpose of such use is to collect, administer, or enforce a toll; and (B) any data collected from such use is used, accessed, retained, queried, disclosed, or shared only for such purpose.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Sep 22, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI