Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act of 1998
Public Law 105-318 · H.R. 4151 · 105th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Oct 30, 1998 · Crime and Law Enforcement
Sponsor: Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ-4)
Cosponsors (48): Rep. Robert Clement, Rep. Rosa DeLauro,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act of 1998 - Amends the Federal criminal code to make it unlawful for anyone to knowingly transfer or use, without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person with the intent to commit, or to aid or abet, any unlawful activity that constitutes a violation of Federal law, or that constitutes a felony under any applicable State or local law.
Prescribes criminal penalties for offenses involving fraud and related activity in connection with identification documents (identity fraud) committed in connection with a crime of violence or committed after a prior conviction of such an offense. Subjects to the same penalties any person who attempts or conspires to commit such an offense.
Provides for the forfeiture to the United States of personal property used or intended to be used to commit identity fraud.
(Sec. 4) Directs the United States Sentencing Commission to review and amend the Federal sentencing guidelines and policy statements of the Commission to provide an appropriate penalty for such offenses, taking into account specified factors.
(Sec. 5) Directs the Federal Trade Commission to establish procedures to: (1) log and acknowledge the receipt of complaints by individuals having reason to believe that one or more of their means of identification have been assumed, stolen, or otherwise unlawfully acquired; (2) provide informational materials to such individuals; and (3) refer such complaints to the appropriate entities, including national consumer reporting agencies and law enforcement agencies. Authorizes appropriations.
(Sec. 7) Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to specify that the Act does not require the immediate and unconditional availability of reports filed by an individual if a finding is made by the Judicial Conference that revealing personal and sensitive information could endanger that individual. Allows a report to be redacted under this provision only to the extent necessary to protect such individual and only for as long as the danger to such individual exists.
Directs: (1) the Administrative Office of the United States Courts to submit to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees an annual report regarding the operation of this section; and (2) the Judicial Conference to issue regulations setting forth the circumstances under which redaction is appropriate and the procedures for redaction.
Terminates such requirements on December 31, 2001.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Judiciary Committee · House · referred toSubcommittee: Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 10 actions.
- Oct 30, 1998Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 105-318.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 20, 1998PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 14, 1998FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Oct 7, 1998FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Mr. McCollum moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Jul 7, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- Jun 25, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.