# 119-s-5544: Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act of 2026

119-s-5544, Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] (D-MA); status introduced (as of 2026-10-22).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5544
- As of: 2026-10-22
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-5544
- Congress: 119
- Title: Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-09-24
- Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] (D-MA)
- Cosponsors: 3
- Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-10-22

## Summary

**This bill would impose a federal moratorium on biometric surveillance, banning most federal use of facial recognition and other biometric systems and tying Byrne grant eligibility to compliance.** It would allow only narrow, explicit exceptions set by Congress and preserves limited research and testing by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. - Federal agencies and officials would be prohibited from acquiring, possessing, accessing, or using biometric surveillance systems or information derived from them in the United States unless Congress authorizes specific uses and safeguards. - States and local governments would become ineligible for Byrne grant funding unless they adopt laws or policies substantially similar to the federal prohibition, starting on the first day of the first fiscal year after enactment. - Individuals harmed by a violation, and state attorneys general acting for residents, could sue federal officials. Courts may award actual and punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, injunctive relief, and officials may face retraining, suspension, or termination.

## Cosponsors (3)

- Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR), 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] (D-OR), 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA] (D-MA), 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- New legal rights over biometric use: benefit, high. If enacted, individuals harmed by a federal biometric surveillance violation would be able to sue the federal government. State attorneys general or other authorized state officers could also bring suits on behalf of residents. Courts could award actual and punitive damages, reasonable attorneys' f…
- Federal ban on biometric surveillance: benefit, high. If enacted, federal agencies and officials would be barred from acquiring, possessing, accessing, or using biometric surveillance systems in the United States. Federal law enforcement agencies would not be allowed to obligate or spend federal funds, including unallocated agency funds, to buy or use…
- Byrne grants tied to biometric moratorium: mixed, medium. If enacted, a State or local government would be ineligible for Byrne law-enforcement grants unless it has a law or policy substantially like this bill that bars biometric surveillance. This condition would take effect on the first day of the first fiscal year after enactment. The bill would not ov…

## Related bills

- 119-s-5071: Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026
- 119-s-5022: Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act
- 119-s-2819: Head Start for America's Children Act
- 119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026
- 119-s-2823: FAMILY Act
- 119-s-2763: Keep Billionaires Out of Social Security Act

## Sources
- [119-s-5544 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5544)

## Related
- [119-s-5071: Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5071)
- [119-s-5022: Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5022)
- [119-s-2819: Head Start for America's Children Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2819)
- [119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3990)
- [119-s-2823: FAMILY Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2823)
- [119-s-2763: Keep Billionaires Out of Social Security Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2763)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5544 (as of 2026-10-22).