H.R. 8549: To prohibit the retention of incidentally acquired communications in the course of intelligence collection activities.

116th Congress · introduced 2020-10-09 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select).

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-10-09 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Amash, Justin [L-MI-3] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select). Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

To prohibit the retention of incidentally acquired communications in the course of intelligence collection activities.

Plain summary

This bill modifies statutory requirements related to certain procedures limiting the retention of communications incidentally acquired during an intelligence activity. Specifically, the bill removes a requirement that such procedures must permit the acquisition, retention, and dissemination of such communications. (An existing executive order authorizes intelligence community agencies to collect, retain, and disseminate incidentally obtained information that may indicate involvement in activities that may violate federal, state, local or foreign laws.)

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

To prohibit the retention of incidentally acquired communications in the course of intelligence collection activities.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Amash, Justin [L-MI-3] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr8549.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr8549 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116