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119-s-490119th CongressWALLET

Protecting Americans’ Privacy Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]

Introduced

Summary

Tightens privacy around the Treasury’s payment systems. This bill would bar many nonfederal actors and certain federal employees from accessing or exercising administrative control over Department of the Treasury public money receipt or payment systems and would prevent disclosures of tax return information through those systems.

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  • Taxpayers gain a private right of action. They could sue for unauthorized access or disclosure and recover the greater of actual damages or $250,000 per violation, plus punitive damages and attorneys’ fees.
  • Federal employees and contractors face new access limits. The bill would block access by individuals who are not federal employees or contractors with at least one year of continuous service, civil servants with under one year of service, federal employees who hold senior or board roles at covered entities, and those with certain conflicts or without a written ethics agreement.
  • Treasury systems and tax confidentiality rules are reinforced. The bill forbids facilitating improper access, amends Internal Revenue Code section 6103 to restrict disclosures via Treasury systems, and raises the code’s disclosure damages cap to $250,000 per violation.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Ban on unauthorized Treasury access

This bill would ban knowingly accessing or controlling any Department of the Treasury public money receipt or payment system if you are not an allowed federal employee or a long-term contractor. It would also bar anyone from helping or knowingly permitting such access. If enacted, people harmed by a disallowed access could sue in federal or state court. Courts could award actual losses or $250,000 per wrongful access, plus punitive damages and attorneys’ fees. The bill also defines who counts as covered employees, contractors, and covered entities.

Stronger tax privacy, larger damages

The bill would bar disclosing tax returns or return information via Treasury payment systems to certain disqualified employees. It would also raise civil damages for unlawful inspection or disclosure to the greater of actual damages or $250,000 per violation. If enacted, taxpayers could sue covered employees in federal court and seek these increased damages.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]

NY • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 2/6/2025

  • Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 2/6/2025

  • Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 2/6/2025

  • Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 2/6/2025

  • Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 2/6/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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