S. 490: Protecting Americans’ Privacy Act of 2025

Protecting Americans’ Privacy Act of 2025

This bill makes it unlawful for certain individuals to access or exercise administrative control over any Department of the Treasury public money receipt or payment system. The bill also makes it unlawful to disclose return or return information to certain individuals by means of access to such Treasury system.

Under the bill, it is unlawful for an individual to knowingly access or exercise administrative control over any Treasury (including the Bureau of Fiscal Service) public money receipt or payment system if the individual is

• not a federal employee or federal contractor (with at least one year of continuous service);
• a federal employee who holds a certain position within or is the board member of a business, organization, or institution;
• in a civil service position for less than one year (continuously); or
• an employee who meets certain other requirements and who has a conflict of interest or has not signed a written ethics agreement.

The bill also makes it unlawful to (1) facilitate access to or administrative control over any Treasury public money receipt or payment system to such individuals, or (2) disclose return or return information to such individuals by means of access to such Treasury system.

Finally, the bill provides that persons harmed by the unlawful access to such Treasury system may file a civil action for

• preliminary and other equitable or declaratory relief,
• damages (the greater of $250,000 or actual damages),
• punitive damages, and
• attorney’s fees and litigation costs.