An Act to amend title 5, United States Code, by adding a section 552a, to safeguard individual privacy from the misuse of Federal records, to provide that individuals be granted access to records concerning them which are maintained by Federal agencies, to establish a Privacy Protection Study Commission, and for other purposes.
Public Law 93-579 · S. 3418 · 93rd Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Dec 31, 1974 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Sen. Samuel Ervin (D-NC)
Cosponsors (17): Sen. Edmund Muskie, Sen. Charles Percy,
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
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.
Privacy Act - Prohibits disclosure by Federal agencies of any record contained in a system of records, except pursuant to a written request by or with the prior written consent of the individual to whom the record pertains. Makes exceptions to this prohibition for use of such records by the individual involved, the Congress, the courts, officers of the agency maintaining the record, the Bureau of the Census, and for criminal and civil law enforcement purposes.
Requires agencies which keep records systems to keep account of disclosures of records, and to inform the subjects of such disclosures.
Allows subjects of records to have access and copying rights to such records. Establishes a procedure for amendment of such records, and of judicial appeal of agency refusal to amend.
Requires relevancy of records to official purposes; accuracy; disclosure of purposes to informants; publication annually of the existence, character, and accessibility of records systems; and appropriate safeguards to maintain confidentiality of such records. Prohibits maintenance of records describing individuals' exercise of first amendment rights, with specified exceptions.
Requires recordkeeping agencies to establish rules relating to notice, access, and amendment.
Permits civil suits against agencies by individuals adversely affected by agency actions not in compliance with this Act. Describes remedies available in such actions.
Sets forth criminal penalties for noncompliance with this Act.
Provides for exemptions from this Act, such as for specified records of the Central Intelligence Agency and records of investigations compiled for law enforcement purposes.
Prohibits an agency from selling or renting an individual's name and address.
Requires agencies to notify the Congress and Office of Management and Budget in advance of any proposal to establish or alter records systems.
Requires the President to report to the Congress annually on the number of records which were exempted from the coverage of this Act.
Establishes the Privacy Protection Study Commission to study government and private data systems and make recommendations for protecting privacy by the application of this Act or additional legislation.
Lists suggestive and required areas of study for the Commission.
Grants subpena power to the Commission.
Makes it unlawful for Federal, State, or local agencies to deny legal rights, benefits, or privileges to individuals because of such individuals' refusal to disclose their social security account number.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
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. 13 actions.
- Dec 31, 1974Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 93-579.
- Dec 19, 1974PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Dec 18, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments to the Senate amendments.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments with an amendment.
- Dec 17, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments with an amendment, roll call #567 (77-8).Senate roll call 567
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate agreed to House amendments with an amendment, roll call #567 (77-8).Senate roll call 567
- Dec 11, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended (provisions of H.R. 16373 inserted as passed House).
- Nov 22, 1974FloorFloor · Provisions as passed Senate 11/21/1974 inserted in H.R. 16373.
- Nov 21, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, roll call #496 (74-9).Senate roll call 496
- Sep 26, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- May 1, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
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.