Veteran DATA Act

The Veteran Data Accountability for Third-party Actors Act (H.R. 7280) would restrict how the Department of Veterans Affairs handles veterans' sensitive information when working with contractors and vendors. If enacted, the bill would prohibit VA contracts from allowing third parties to sell, monetize, or otherwise misuse veterans' personal health information and personal identifying information. The legislation would require the VA Secretary to add protective clauses to all contracts containing sensitive veteran data within one year. The bill aims to address concerns about contractors potentially using veterans' data for scams, identity theft, or to train artificial intelligence models without veterans' knowledge or consent. The bill would also require the VA to develop policies and training for employees to identify when vendors are improperly using veteran data, and to report to Congress on implementation progress. Currently under committee consideration, the bill has bipartisan support and has not yet been voted on by the full House.