PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S291-300)
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jan 24, 2005
Privacy Act of 2005 - Prohibits the sale and disclosure of personally identifiable information by a commercial entity to a non-affiliated third party unless prescribed procedures for notice and opportunity to restrict such disclosure have been followed. Grants the Federal Trade Commission enforcement authority.
Amends Federal criminal law to prohibit the display, sale, or purchase of social security numbers (SSNs) without the affirmatively expressed consent of the individual. Exempts certain public records containing SSNs from such prohibition, but extends it to the display, sale, or purchase of SSNs within specified public records.
Amends Title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to prohibit the use of SSNs on: (1) checks issued for payment by governmental agencies; and (2) driver's licenses or motor vehicle registrations. Prohibits a commercial entity from requiring disclosure of an individual's SSN in order to obtain goods or services. Establishes criminal and civil monetary penalties for misuse of an SSN.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Amends the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act to make conforming limitations upon financial industry sale and sharing of non-public personal financial information. Sets forth prohibitions against the selling or marketing of protected health information by specified entities.
Amends the Driver's Privacy Protection Act relating to proscriptions against release and use of certain personal information from State motor vehicle records to expand the definition of such personal information, and to include highly restricted personal information (such as an individual's photograph or any physical copy of a driver's license) among such proscriptions.
Empowers State Attorneys General to enforce this Act. Establishes Federal injunctive authority regarding any violation of this Act.
People & committees
Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA] · D–CA
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S291-300)
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S289-291)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
AI Conversation Starters
Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.
Analyze S.116 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
Examine S.116 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.
Examine S.116 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.
Examine S.116 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.