Judicial Redress Act of 2015
PL 114-126 (H.R.1428), enacted 02/24/2016

130 STAT. 282 
PUBLIC LAW 114–126—FEB. 24, 2016 
Public Law 114–126 
114th Congress 
An Act 
To extend Privacy Act remedies to citizens of certified states, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Judicial Redress Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF PRIVACY ACT REMEDIES TO CITIZENS OF DES-
IGNATED COUNTRIES. 
(a) CIVIL ACTION; CIVIL REMEDIES.—With respect to covered 
records, a covered person may bring a civil action against an agency 
and obtain civil remedies, in the same manner, to the same extent, 
and subject to the same limitations, including exemptions and 
exceptions, as an individual may bring and obtain with respect 
to records under— 
(1) section 552a(g)(1)(D) of title 5, United States Code, 
but only with respect to disclosures intentionally or willfully 
made in violation of section 552a(b) of such title; and 
(2) subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 552a(g)(1) of title 
5, United States Code, but such an action may only be brought 
against a designated Federal agency or component. 
(b) EXCLUSIVE REMEDIES.—The remedies set forth in subsection 
(a) are the exclusive remedies available to a covered person under 
this section. 
(c) APPLICATION
OF
THE PRIVACY ACT WITH RESPECT
TO
A 
COVERED PERSON.—For purposes of a civil action described in sub-
section (a), a covered person shall have the same rights, and be 
subject to the same limitations, including exemptions and excep-
tions, as an individual has and is subject to under section 552a 
of title 5, United States Code, when pursuing the civil remedies 
described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a). 
(d) DESIGNATION OF COVERED COUNTRY.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Attorney General may, with the 
concurrence of the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the 
Treasury, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, designate 
a foreign country or regional economic integration organization, 
or member country of such organization, as a ‘‘covered country’’ 
for purposes of this section if— 
(A)(i) the country or regional economic integration 
organization, or member country of such organization, has 
entered into an agreement with the United States that 
provides for appropriate privacy protections for information 
shared for the purpose of preventing, investigating, 
detecting, or prosecuting criminal offenses; or 
Judicial Redress 
Act of 2015. 
5 USC 552a note. 
Feb. 24, 2016 
[H.R. 1428] 
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130 STAT. 283 
PUBLIC LAW 114–126—FEB. 24, 2016 
(ii) the Attorney General has determined that the 
country or regional economic integration organization, or 
member country of such organization, has effectively shared 
information with the United States for the purpose of pre-
venting, investigating, detecting, or prosecuting criminal 
offenses and has appropriate privacy protections for such 
shared information; 
(B) the country or regional economic integration 
organization, or member country of such organization, per-
mits the transfer of personal data for commercial purposes 
between the territory of that country or regional economic 
organization and the territory of the United States, through 
an agreement with the United States or otherwise; and 
(C) the Attorney General has certified that the policies 
regarding the transfer of personal data for commercial 
purposes and related actions of the country or regional 
economic integration organization, or member country of 
such organization, do not materially impede the national 
security interests of the United States. 
(2) REMOVAL OF DESIGNATION.—The Attorney General may, 
with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, the Secretary 
of the Treasury, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, 
revoke the designation of a foreign country or regional economic 
integration organization, or member country of such organiza-
tion, as a ‘‘covered country’’ if the Attorney General determines 
that such designated ‘‘covered country’’— 
(A) is not complying with the agreement described 
under paragraph (1)(A)(i); 
(B) no longer meets the requirements for designation 
under paragraph (1)(A)(ii); 
(C) fails to meet the requirements under paragraph 
(1)(B); 
(D) no longer meets the requirements for certification 
under paragraph (1)(C); or 
(E) impedes the transfer of information (for purposes 
of reporting or preventing unlawful activity) to the United 
States by a private entity or person. 
(e) DESIGNATION OF DESIGNATED FEDERAL AGENCY OR COMPO-
NENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General shall determine 
whether an agency or component thereof is a ‘‘designated Fed-
eral agency or component’’ for purposes of this section. The 
Attorney General shall not designate any agency or component 
thereof other than the Department of Justice or a component 
of the Department of Justice without the concurrence of the 
head of the relevant agency, or of the agency to which the 
component belongs. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS FOR DESIGNATION.—The Attorney Gen-
eral may determine that an agency or component of an agency 
is a ‘‘designated Federal agency or component’’ for purposes 
of this section, if— 
(A) the Attorney General determines that information 
exchanged by such agency with a covered country is within 
the scope of an agreement referred to in subsection 
(d)(1)(A); or 
(B) with respect to a country or regional economic 
integration organization, or member country of such 
Determinations. 
Certification. 
Determination. 
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130 STAT. 284 
PUBLIC LAW 114–126—FEB. 24, 2016 
organization, that has been designated as a ‘‘covered 
country’’ under subsection (d)(1)(B), the Attorney General 
determines that designating such agency or component 
thereof is in the law enforcement interests of the United 
States. 
(f) FEDERAL REGISTER REQUIREMENT; NONREVIEWABLE DETER-
MINATION.—The Attorney General shall publish each determination 
made under subsections (d) and (e). Such determination shall not 
be subject to judicial or administrative review. 
(g) JURISDICTION.—The United States District Court for the 
District of Columbia shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any claim 
arising under this section. 
(h) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 
(1) AGENCY.—The term ‘‘agency’’ has the meaning given 
that term in section 552(f) of title 5, United States Code. 
(2) COVERED COUNTRY.—The term ‘‘covered country’’ means 
a country or regional economic integration organization, or 
member country of such organization, designated in accordance 
with subsection (d). 
(3) COVERED PERSON.—The term ‘‘covered person’’ means 
a natural person (other than an individual) who is a citizen 
of a covered country. 
(4) COVERED RECORD.—The term ‘‘covered record’’ has the 
same meaning for a covered person as a record has for an 
individual under section 552a of title 5, United States Code, 
once the covered record is transferred— 
(A) by a public authority of, or private entity within, 
a country or regional economic organization, or member 
country of such organization, which at the time the record 
is transferred is a covered country; and 
(B) to a designated Federal agency or component for 
purposes of preventing, investigating, detecting, or pros-
ecuting criminal offenses. 
(5) DESIGNATED
FEDERAL
AGENCY
OR
COMPONENT.—The 
term ‘‘designated Federal agency or component’’ means a Fed-
eral agency or component of an agency designated in accordance 
with subsection (e). 
(6) INDIVIDUAL.—The term ‘‘individual’’ has the meaning 
given that term in section 552a(a)(2) of title 5, United States 
Code. 
(i) PRESERVATION OF PRIVILEGES.—Nothing in this section shall 
be construed to waive any applicable privilege or require the disclo-
sure of classified information. Upon an agency’s request, the district 
court shall review in camera and ex parte any submission by 
the agency in connection with this subsection. 
Publication. 
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130 STAT. 285 
PUBLIC LAW 114–126—FEB. 24, 2016 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 1428: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 114–294, Pt. 1 (Comm. on the Judiciary). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 161 (2015): Oct. 20, considered and passed House. 
Vol. 162 (2016): Feb. 9, considered and passed Senate, amended. 
Feb. 10, House concurred in Senate amendment. 
DAILY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS (2016): 
Feb. 24, Presidential remarks. 
(j) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This Act shall take effect 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act. 
Approved February 24, 2016. 
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