Proposed Bill Bans Federal Government from Building Biometric Databases for US Citizens

This proposed legislation aims to slam the brakes on federal agencies creating or maintaining databases that use biometric data for identifying U.S. citizens. Specifically, Section 1 states that no Federal agency can establish or keep a database that collects data used for, or facilitates, "biometric identity verification" of a citizen. This is a clear, targeted move to prevent the government from centrally storing the unique physical traits of Americans.

The Ban on Digital Fingerprints and Face Scans

What exactly does "biometric identity verification" mean here? The bill defines it clearly: systems that automatically recognize you based on your unique physical or behavioral characteristics, like your fingerprints, the patterns in your eyes (iris scans), or your facial features. Think of it as the government being prohibited from creating a massive, centralized digital fingerprint or faceprint database for the general public. This provision directly addresses the growing concern that advanced technology could allow the government to track citizens using their most personal identifiers, like when you unlock your phone with your face.

Why This Matters for Your Privacy

For the average person, this bill is a major win for privacy. Right now, if the federal government collects your biometric data—say, during a background check or when applying for certain services—that data is stored somewhere. If that database gets hacked, your fingerprint or face scan is compromised forever; you can't change your face like you can change a password. By prohibiting these databases, the bill significantly reduces the risk of a massive, catastrophic data breach exposing the unique biological identifiers of millions of Americans. It essentially places a firewall between your physical identity and the federal government's data storage capabilities.

What Federal Agencies Lose

This prohibition is highly specific and leaves little room for interpretation, which is good for clarity but challenging for certain government operations. Federal agencies that currently rely on or planned to use large-scale biometric databases for citizen identification—perhaps for efficiency in verifying identities for benefits or secure access—will have to find different technological solutions. For example, systems designed to speed up airport security checks using facial recognition for U.S. citizens would likely be restricted under this rule. The bill forces agencies to pivot away from what many see as the easiest, but most intrusive, form of identity verification, ensuring that the convenience of technology doesn't come at the cost of fundamental privacy.