Duval Times

Foreign investment raises concerns over the security of Americans' personal information, prompting U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) to reintroduce the Protecting Sensitive Personal Data Act. The legislation aims to expand the authority of the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to mitigate privacy and national security risks associated with foreign investments.

Under the proposed bill, CFIUS would be empowered to screen investments that could impact crucial personal information, including genetic test results, health conditions, insurance applications, financial hardship data, security clearance information, geolocation data, private emails, government identification data, and credit reports.

Speaking about the bill, Senator Rubio highlighted the risks posed by foreign investments in U.S. companies that handle personal information. He emphasized, "Americans should be deeply concerned about foreign investments in U.S. companies that handle their personal information, which pose a risk of exposing personal data, like genetic testing results and private financial transactions, to harmful actors in China and elsewhere. We need to strengthen CFIUS's oversight authority of these transactions to protect Americans and mitigate this serious national security threat."

Senator Warnock echoed the sentiment, stressing the importance of safeguarding personal data and information from potential exploitation by foreign entities. He expressed his commitment to working with Senator Rubio to bolster defenses against dangerous security breaches.

This reintroduction of the Protecting Sensitive Personal Data Act reflects the senators' efforts to address growing concerns surrounding foreign investments and their potential impact on Americans' privacy and national security. By granting CFIUS expanded oversight authority, the bill aims to ensure the protection of sensitive personal data from harmful actors.

For more information on the bill, interested individuals can refer to the November 2021 release: "Rubio, Warnock Introduce Bill to Protect Americans' Sensitive Personal Data."

Link: [Rubio, Warnock Introduce Bill to Protect Americans' Sensitive Personal Data](https://www.rubio.senate.gov/english-espa-ol-rubio-warnock-introduce-bill-to-protect-americans-sensitive-personal-data/)