Bill to establish national privacy standard clears House Energy and Commerce; panel also approves FTC ransomware measure

The House Energy and Commerce Committee today approved a bipartisan consumer data protection bill that marks an unprecedented step for national privacy legislation, though prospects for further progress are murky as debate continues over the impact on stringent state laws.

“Today’s markup is another milestone in moving toward a national privacy standard,” Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) said in a statement. “This legislation is our best hope at protecting Americans’ privacy and data security, while also providing certainty...