Support and seek passage of legislation to impose a federal moratorium on government use of facial recognition and other biometric recognition technologies.

“Facial recognition and other biometric technologies in the hands of government agencies have become tools of authoritarianism. Agencies such as ICE and CBP are using this technology to track, target, intimidate and surveil communities across the country,” said Senator Markey . “Black and Brown communities — already subject to the most aggressive policing and immigration enforcement — are disproportionately affected and more likely to be wrongly flagged, detained, or targeted by a faulty facial recognition match. We must stop the Trump administration’s growing web of surveillance technology, and that starts with a moratorium on dangerous, discriminatory biometric recognition.”

Markey said the federal government must stop its expanding use of surveillance technology through a moratorium on dangerous biometric recognition technology.

Sens. Markey, Merkley and Reps. Jayapal, Tlaib, Pressley Reintroduce Legislation to Halt Government Use of Facial Recognition and Other Biometric Technology
primary · press_release · model gpt-5.5

unverified · Source version 74217 · locator unknown

Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), announced the reintroduction of the Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act, legislation to prohibit the government from using facial recognition and other biometric technologies.

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): Within the 2026-09-01 to 2026-09-30 lookback window, Markey announced reintroduction of the moratorium legislation, showing renewed effort but not enactment.

unresolved same_term A for effort

Sens. Markey, Merkley and Reps. Jayapal, Tlaib, Pressley Reintroduce Legislation to Halt Government Use of Facial Recognition and Other Biometric Technology
primary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 98%

unverified · Source version 74219 · locator unknown

By Mr. MARKEY (for himself, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Wyden, and Ms. Warren): S. 5544. A bill to prohibit biometric surveillance by the Federal Government without explicit statutory authorization and to withhold certain Federal public safety grants from State and local governments that engage in biometric surveillance; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): The Congressional Record confirms S. 5544 was introduced by Markey and referred to committee, so the concrete congressional action remained an attempt rather than enacted law.

unresolved same_term A for effort

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 152 (Thursday, September 24, 2026)
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 99%

unverified · Source version 74221 · locator unknown

Except as provided in subsection (b), it shall be unlawful for any Federal agency or Federal official, in an official capacity, to acquire, possess, access, or use in the United States— (1) any biometric surveillance system; or (2) information derived from a biometric surveillance system operated by another entity.

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): The 2026 bill text matches the commitment’s substance: a federal moratorium on agency or official use of biometric surveillance systems, subject to statutory authorization.

unresolved same_term A for effort

facial_recognition_and_biometric_technology_moratorium_act1.pdf
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 96%

verified · Source version 74223 · locator 1325

Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) introduced the ICE Out of Our Faces Act, bicameral legislation that would ban ICE and CPB from acquiring and using facial recognition technology (FRT) and other biometric identification systems.

Fetched verbatim passage. AI summary (separate from source): Earlier in 2026, Markey also introduced a narrower biometric-use restriction targeting ICE and CBP, another effort toward the promise but not a full enacted federal moratorium.

unresolved same_term A for effort

Markey, Merkley, Wyden, Jayapal Introduce Bill to Ban ICE and CBP Use of Facial Recognition Technology Amid Trump’s Rapidly Growing Surveillance State
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 93%

verified · Source version 74225 · locator 1249

Mr. Markey (for himself, Mr. Merkley, Ms. Warren, Mr. Sanders, and Mr. Wyden) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

Fetched verbatim passage. AI summary (separate from source): GovInfo documents Markey’s 2023 reintroduction of the moratorium bill in the prior Congress; the listed action was referral to committee, not enactment.

unresolved same_term A for effort

S. 681 (IS) - Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act of 2023 - BILLS-118s681is | Content Details | GovInfo
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 97%

verified · Source version 74227 · locator 1252

Mr. Markey (for himself, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Sanders, Ms. Warren, and Mr. Wyden) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

Fetched verbatim passage. AI summary (separate from source): GovInfo documents Markey’s same-term 2021 introduction of the moratorium bill; as with later versions, the available official action shows referral rather than passage.

unresolved same_term A for effort

S. 2052 (IS) - Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act of 2021 - BILLS-117s2052is | Content Details | GovInfo
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 97%