S. 3284: Ethical Use of Facial Recognition Act

116th Congress · introduced 2020-02-12 · Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

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Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-02-12 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. 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

Ethical Use of Facial Recognition Act

Plain summary

Ethical Use of Facial Recognition Act This bill prohibits any officer, employee, or contractor of a federal agency from engaging in specified activities with respect to facial recognition technology without a warrant until a congressional commission established by this bill recommends rules governing the use and limitations on both government and commercial use of such technology. Specifically, it prohibits any such individual from setting up a camera to be used in connection with facial recognition technology, accessing or using information obtained from such technology, or importing such technology to identify an individual in the United States until Congress enacts legislation implementing the guidelines established by the commission. The bill permits an aggrieved person to bring a civil action for injunctive or declaratory relief in the appropriate U.S. district court. No federal funds may be used by a state or local government to invest in facial recognition software, purchase facial recognition technology services, or acquire images for use in facial recognition technology systems.

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

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A “Nay” vote

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Ethical Use of Facial Recognition Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Cory A. Booker (D-NJ)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] reported raising $5.4 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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 (3)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
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).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s3284.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s3284 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116