A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the Veteran DATA Act, aims to amend title 38 of the United States Code. It seeks to prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from entering into contracts that allow contractors to sell sensitive personal information. The Act requires the Secretary to ensure that covered contracts include clauses prohibiting the monetization, sale, or misuse of covered information. Additionally, the Secretary must issue guidance to help employees and contractors identify such misuse. Finally, the Secretary is required to submit a report to congressional committees regarding these actions.
Yes· 3 of 5
- Scored +8
Does this give people more control over their personal data?
The bill explicitly prohibits the sale and monetization of sensitive personal and health information by Department contractors.
- Scored +5
Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together?
The bill safeguards veterans against the unauthorized sale of their sensitive personal and health information.
- Scored +3
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill requires the Secretary to submit a report to congressional committees regarding the implementation of data protections.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Prohibition of selling sensitive data: The Secretary is prohibited from entering into contracts that permit a contractor to sell or disclose sensitive personal information for consideration (Section 2). This protects the private information of veterans from being sold to other entities.
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Protection against monetization and misuse: The Secretary must ensure that covered contracts include clauses that prohibit the monetization, sale, or misuse of covered information by contractors, subcontractors, affiliates, or other entities (Section 3(a)(1)). This adds a layer of protection for personal and health information held by the Department.
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Implementation of guidance: The Secretary is required to issue a directive or policy to help employees and contractors identify the sale or misuse of information (Section 3(a)(2)). This creates a system to ensure contractors are complying with the new protections.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts are explicitly stated in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Education And Technology
- Does this give people more control over their personal data? — The bill explicitly prohibits the sale and monetization of sensitive personal and health information by Department contractors.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — The bill safeguards veterans against the unauthorized sale of their sensitive personal and health information.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires the Secretary to submit a report to congressional committees regarding the implementation of data protections.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive? — The bill protects the sensitive personal and health data of veterans from being sold or monetized by contractors.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill protects the privacy of sensitive health and personal information held by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
- 6/23/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/15/2026
- Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
- 3/25/2026
- Subcommittee Hearings Held
- 3/24/2026
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
- 1/30/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Tom BarrettRepublican · Michigan
Eugene VindmanDemocrat · Virginia