S4977
Referred to committee
REDACT Act
- Federal
- Senate
- Introduced Jul 14, 2026
- Session 119
Bill Text
Version ISThis Act may be cited as the Recovery, Enforcement, and Damages to Assure Confidential Treatment Act or the REDACT Act.
Section 2 of the Epstein Files Transparency Act (Public Law 119–38; 139 Stat. 656) is amended by adding at the end the following:
In this subsection:
The term instance, with respect to a violation of this section, means each discrete act constituting a violation of this section.
The term violation of this section means a failure, in releasing documents under this Act, to withhold or redact personally identifiable information of a victim or a personal or medical file of a victim or another similar file of a victim the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.
Any person aggrieved by a violation of this section may bring a civil action against the United States if the violation of this section was committed by an officer, employee, or agent of the United States or of any Federal department or agency.
If a person prevails on a claim under this subsection, the court shall award—
for each instance of a violation of this section, the greater of statutory damages of $50,000 or the amount of compensatory damages, including damages for pain and suffering and emotional distress;
reasonable attorney's fees and costs of litigation; and
such injunctive or declaratory relief as may be appropriate.
Upon motion by a person bringing a claim under this subsection, a court may award such preliminary injunctive relief as the court determines appropriate with respect to the claim.
The United States expressly waives sovereign immunity with respect to actions brought under this subsection.
A civil action under this subsection may not be commenced later than—
5 years after the applicable person first obtains actual notice of the violation of this section; or
for a violation of this section with respect to which the applicable person first obtained actual notice of the violation of this section before the date of enactment of this subsection, 5 years after such date of enactment.
This subsection shall apply to any violation of this section occurring on or after November 19, 2025.
Section 2 of the Epstein Files Transparency Act (Public Law 119–38; 139 Stat. 656) is amended by adding at the end the following:
In this subsection:
The term instance, with respect to a violation of this section, means each discrete act constituting a violation of this section.
The term violation of this section means a failure, in releasing documents under this Act, to withhold or redact personally identifiable information of a victim or a personal or medical file of a victim or another similar file of a victim the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.
Any person aggrieved by a violation of this section may bring a civil action against the United States if the violation of this section was committed by an officer, employee, or agent of the United States or of any Federal department or agency.
If a person prevails on a claim under this subsection, the court shall award—
for each instance of a violation of this section, the greater of statutory damages of $50,000 or the amount of compensatory damages, including damages for pain and suffering and emotional distress;
reasonable attorney's fees and costs of litigation; and
such injunctive or declaratory relief as may be appropriate.
Upon motion by a person bringing a claim under this subsection, a court may award such preliminary injunctive relief as the court determines appropriate with respect to the claim.
The United States expressly waives sovereign immunity with respect to actions brought under this subsection.
A civil action under this subsection may not be commenced later than—
5 years after the applicable person first obtains actual notice of the violation of this section; or
for a violation of this section with respect to which the applicable person first obtained actual notice of the violation of this section before the date of enactment of this subsection, 5 years after such date of enactment.
This subsection shall apply to any violation of this section occurring on or after November 19, 2025.
Legislative Timeline
2 actions-
Introduced in Senate
-
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.