15 USC § 1681v - Disclosures to governmental agencies for counterterrorism purposes

(a) Disclosure

Notwithstanding section 1681b of this title or any other provision of this subchapter, a consumer reporting agency shall furnish a consumer report of a consumer and all other information in a consumer’s file to a government agency authorized to conduct investigations of, or intelligence or counterintelligence activities or analysis related to, international terrorism when presented with a written certification by such government agency that such information is necessary for the agency’s conduct or such investigation, activity or analysis.

(b) Form of certification

The certification described in subsection (a) of this section shall be signed by a supervisory official designated by the head of a Federal agency or an officer of a Federal agency whose appointment to office is required to be made by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

(c) Confidentiality

(1) If the head of a government agency authorized to conduct investigations of intelligence or counterintelligence activities or analysis related to international terrorism, or his designee, certifies that otherwise there may result a danger to the national security of the United States, interference with a criminal, counterterrorism, or counterintelligence investigation, interference with diplomatic relations, or danger to the life or physical safety of any person, no consumer reporting agency or officer, employee, or agent of such consumer reporting agency, shall disclose to any person (other than those to whom such disclosure is necessary to comply with the request or an attorney to obtain legal advice or legal assistance with respect to the request), or specify in any consumer report, that a government agency has sought or obtained access to information under subsection (a).

(2) The request shall notify the person or entity to whom the request is directed of the nondisclosure requirement under paragraph (1).

(3) Any recipient disclosing to those persons necessary to comply with the request or to any attorney to obtain legal advice or legal assistance with respect to the request shall inform such persons of any applicable nondisclosure requirement. Any person who receives a disclosure under this subsection shall be subject to the same prohibitions on disclosure under paragraph (1).

(4) At the request of the authorized government agency, any person making or intending to make a disclosure under this section shall identify to the requesting official of the authorized government agency the person to whom such disclosure will be made or to whom such disclosure was made prior to the request, except that nothing in this section shall require a person to inform the requesting official of the identity of an attorney to whom disclosure was made or will be made to obtain legal advice or legal assistance with respect to the request for information under subsection (a).

(d) Rule of construction

Nothing in section 1681u of this title shall be construed to limit the authority of the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation under this section.

(e) Safe harbor

Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, any consumer reporting agency or agent or employee thereof making disclosure of consumer reports or other information pursuant to this section in good-faith reliance upon a certification of a government agency pursuant to the provisions of this section shall not be liable to any person for such disclosure under this subchapter, the constitution of any State, or any law or regulation of any State or any political subdivision of any State.

(f) Reports to Congress

(1) On a semi-annual basis, the Attorney General shall fully inform the Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee on Financial Services, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives and the Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate concerning all requests made pursuant to subsection (a).

(2) In the case of the semiannual reports required to be submitted under paragraph (1) to the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate, the submittal dates for such reports shall be as provided in section 415b of title 50.

Source

(Pub. L. 90–321, title VI, § 627, formerly § 626, as added Pub. L. 107–56, title III, § 358(g)(1)(B),Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 327; renumbered § 627 and amended Pub. L. 108–159, title II, § 214(a)(1), (c)(3),Dec. 4, 2003, 117 Stat. 1980, 1983; Pub. L. 108–458, title VI, § 6203(l),Dec. 17, 2004, 118 Stat. 3747; Pub. L. 109–177, title I, §§ 116(c), 118 (b),Mar. 9, 2006, 120 Stat. 214, 217; Pub. L. 109–178, § 4(c)(2),Mar. 9, 2006, 120 Stat. 280.)

Amendments

2006—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 109–177, § 116(c), amended subsec. (c) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “No consumer reporting agency, or officer, employee, or agent of such consumer reporting agency, shall disclose to any person, or specify in any consumer report, that a government agency has sought or obtained access to information under subsection (a) of this section.”

Subsec. (c)(4). Pub. L. 109–178amended par. (4) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (4) read as follows: “At the request of the authorized Government agency, any person making or intending to make a disclosure under this section shall identify to the requesting official of the authorized Government agency the person to whom such disclosure will be made or to whom such disclosure was made prior to the request, but in no circumstance shall a person be required to inform such requesting official that the person intends to consult an attorney to obtain legal advice or legal assistance.”

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 109–177, § 118(b), added subsec. (f).

2004—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 108–458substituted “government agency” for “governmental agency”.

2003—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 108–159, § 214(c)(3), made technical amendment to reference in original act which appears in text as reference to section 1681u of this title.

Effective Date of 2004 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 108–458effective as if included in Pub. L. 107–56, as of the date of enactment of such Act, see section 6205 ofPub. L. 108–458, set out as a note under section 1828 of Title 12, Banks and Banking.

Effective Date of 2003 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 108–159subject to joint regulations establishing effective dates as prescribed by Federal Reserve Board and Federal Trade Commission, except as otherwise provided, see section 3 ofPub. L. 108–159, set out as a note under section 1681 of this title.

Effective Date

Section applicable with respect to reports filed or records maintained on, before, or after Oct. 26, 2001, see section 358(h) ofPub. L. 107–56, set out as an Effective Date of 2001 Amendment note under section 1829b of this Title 12, Banks and Banking.