McMorris Rodgers wants FTC to be world’s ‘preeminent data protection agency’

(The Center Square) – Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers delivered her opening remarks in the Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee hearing on data privacy and security this Thursday, and the goal she laid out was ambitious, at one point saying the Federal Trade Commission “should be the preeminent data protection agency in the world.”

This hearing was the sixth in a series, as previously reported by The Center Square, the Congresswoman has attended advocating for stronger legislation protecting the data of Americans, both online and offline, from actors ranging from corporations to governments, both foreign and domestic.

“Currently, there are sector-specific federal statutes on the books to protect data, ranging from health care, to financial, to youth-oriented laws,” said McMorris Rodgers in her opening remarks before going on to address her work in the 117th Congress to address this very issue.

That bill, known as the American Data and Privacy Protection Act, passed out of committee last year with a 53-2 vote and was placed on the Union Calendar for consideration on the floor. If considered, the bill would still have a long way to go in the legislative process before becoming law.

McMorris Rodgers went on to extol the accomplishments of the internet and the competition and innovation it has brought to America as a nation before adding, “These technologies come with challenges that must be addressed. Companies have developed tools that interact to track Americans both online and offline, and also they’re using our data to manipulate what we see and what we think.”

The focus then turned to the Federal Trade Commission, which McMorris Rodgers criticized for their “unilateral rulemaking” before going on to say “I believe the FTC should be the preeminent data protection agency in the world. But it needs to be at the direction of Congress.”

“Our efforts have shown us that the single best way we can protect Americans in today’s digital ecosystem is with a national data privacy and security standard, and the American people agree. More than 80 percent of Americans say they are looking for Congress to act,” said McMorris Rodgers, closing out her statement to the committee.

The full text of the American Data and Privacy Protection Act can be viewed on Congress’ website.