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II
116TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
S. 3973
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide a certification process
for the issuance of nondisclosure requirements accompanying certain
administrative subpoenas, to provide for judicial review of such nondisclo-
sure requirements, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
JUNE 17, 2020
Mr. KENNEDY (for himself, Mr. COTTON, and Mr. CORNYN) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the
Judiciary
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide a certifi-
cation process for the issuance of nondisclosure require-
ments accompanying certain administrative subpoenas,
to provide for judicial review of such nondisclosure re-
quirements, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ββTargeting Child Preda-
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tors Act of 2020ββ.
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β’S 3973 IS
SEC. 2. NONDISCLOSURE OF ADMINISTRATIVE SUBPOENAS.
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Section 3486(a) of title 18, United States Code, is
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amendedβ
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(1) by striking ββthe Secretary of the Treasuryββ
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each place it appears and inserting ββthe Secretary of
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Homeland Securityββ;
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(2) in paragraph (5), by striking ββordered by a
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courtββ; and
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(3) in paragraph (6)β
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(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ββA
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United Statesββ and inserting ββExcept as pro-
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vided in subparagraph (D), a United Statesββ;
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and
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(B) by adding at the end the following:
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ββ(D)(i)(I) If a subpoena issued under this section as
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described in paragraph (1)(A)(i)(II) is accompanied by a
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certification under subclause (II) and notice of the right
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to judicial review under clause (iii), no recipient of such
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a subpoena shall disclose to any person that the Federal
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official who issued the subpoena has sought or obtained
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access to information or records under this section, for
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a period of 180 days.
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ββ(II) The requirements of subclause (I) shall apply
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if the Federal official who issued the subpoena certifies
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that the absence of a prohibition of disclosure under this
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subsection may result inβ
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β’S 3973 IS
ββ(aa) endangering the life or physical safety of
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an individual;
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ββ(bb) flight from prosecution;
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ββ(cc) destruction of or tampering with evidence;
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ββ(dd) intimidation of potential witnesses; or
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ββ(ee) otherwise seriously jeopardizing an inves-
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tigation.
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ββ(ii)(I) A recipient of a subpoena under this section
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as described in paragraph (1)(A)(i)(II) may disclose infor-
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mation otherwise subject to any applicable nondisclosure
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requirement toβ
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ββ(aa) those persons to whom disclosure is nec-
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essary in order to comply with the request;
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ββ(bb) an attorney in order to obtain legal advice
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or assistance regarding the request; or
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ββ(cc) other persons as permitted by the Federal
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official who issued the subpoena.
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ββ(II) A person to whom disclosure is made under sub-
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clause (I) shall be subject to the nondisclosure require-
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ments applicable to a person to whom a subpoena is issued
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under this section in the same manner as the person to
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whom the subpoena was issued.
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ββ(III) Any recipient that discloses to a person de-
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scribed in subclause (I) information otherwise subject to
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β’S 3973 IS
a nondisclosure requirement shall notify the person of the
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applicable nondisclosure requirement.
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ββ(IV) At the request of the Federal official who
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issued the subpoena, any person making or intending to
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make a disclosure under item (aa) or (cc) of subclause
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(I) shall identify to the individual making the request
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under this clause the person to whom such disclosure will
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be made or to whom such disclosure was made prior to
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the request.
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ββ(iii)(I) A nondisclosure requirement imposed under
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clause (i) shall be subject to judicial review under section
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3486A.
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ββ(II) A subpoena issued under this section as de-
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scribed in paragraph (1)(A)(i)(II), in connection with
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which a nondisclosure requirement under clause (i) is im-
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posed, shall include notice of the availability of judicial re-
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view described in subclause (I).
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ββ(iv) A nondisclosure requirement imposed under
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clause (i) may be extended in accordance with section
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3486A(a)(4).ββ.
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SEC. 3. JUDICIAL REVIEW OF NONDISCLOSURE REQUIRE-
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MENTS.
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(a) IN GENERAL.βChapter 223 of title 18, United
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States Code, is amended by inserting after section 3486
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the following:
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β’S 3973 IS
ββΒ§ 3486A. Judicial review of nondisclosure require-
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ments
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ββ(a) NONDISCLOSURE.β
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ββ(1) IN GENERAL.β
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ββ(A) NOTICE.βIf a recipient of a sub-
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poena under section 3486 as described in sub-
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section (a)(1)(A)(i)(II) of section 3486 wishes
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to have a court review a nondisclosure require-
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ment imposed in connection with the subpoena,
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the recipient may notify the Government or file
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a petition for judicial review in any court de-
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scribed in subsection (a)(5) of section 3486.
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ββ(B) APPLICATION.βNot later than 30
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days after the date of receipt of a notification
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under subparagraph (A), the Government shall
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apply for an order prohibiting the disclosure of
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the existence or contents of the relevant sub-
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poena. An application under this subparagraph
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may be filed in the district court of the United
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States for the judicial district in which the re-
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cipient of the subpoena is doing business or in
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the district court of the United States for any
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judicial district within which the authorized in-
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vestigation that is the basis for the subpoena is
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being conducted. The applicable nondisclosure
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requirement shall remain in effect during the
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β’S 3973 IS
pendency of proceedings relating to the require-
1
ment.
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ββ(C) CONSIDERATION.βA district court of
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the United States that receives a petition under
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subparagraph (A) or an application under sub-
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paragraph (B) should rule expeditiously, and
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shall, subject to paragraph (3), issue a non-
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disclosure order that includes conditions appro-
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priate to the circumstances.
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ββ(2) APPLICATION CONTENTS.βAn application
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for a nondisclosure order or extension thereof or a
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response to a petition filed under paragraph (1)
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shall include a certification from the Federal official
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who issued the subpoena indicating that the absence
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of a prohibition of disclosure under this subsection
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may result inβ
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ββ(A) endangering the life or physical safety
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of an individual;
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ββ(B) flight from prosecution;
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ββ(C) destruction of or tampering with evi-
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dence;
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ββ(D) intimidation of potential witnesses; or
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ββ(E) otherwise seriously jeopardizing an
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investigation.
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β’S 3973 IS
ββ(3) STANDARD.βA district court of the
1
United States shall issue a nondisclosure order or
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extension thereof under this subsection if the court
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determines that there is reason to believe that disclo-
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sure of the information subject to the nondisclosure
5
requirement during the applicable time period may
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result inβ
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ββ(A) endangering the life or physical safety
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of an individual;
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ββ(B) flight from prosecution;
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ββ(C) destruction of or tampering with evi-
11
dence;
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ββ(D) intimidation of potential witnesses; or
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ββ(E) otherwise seriously jeopardizing an
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investigation.
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ββ(4) EXTENSION.βUpon a showing that the
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circumstances
described
in
subparagraphs
(A)
17
through (E) of paragraph (3) continue to exist, a
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district court of the United States may issue an ex
19
parte order extending a nondisclosure order imposed
20
under
this
subsection
or
under
section
21
3486(a)(6)(D) for additional periods of 180 days,
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or, if the court determines that the circumstances
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necessitate a longer period of nondisclosure, for ad-
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ditional periods which are longer than 180 days.
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β’S 3973 IS
ββ(b) CLOSED HEARINGS.βIn all proceedings under
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this section, subject to any right to an open hearing in
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a contempt proceeding, the court must close any hearing
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to the extent necessary to prevent an unauthorized disclo-
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sure of a request for records, a report, or other informa-
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tion made to any person or entity under section 3486. Pe-
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titions, filings, records, orders, certifications, and sub-
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poenas must also be kept under seal to the extent and
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as long as necessary to prevent the unauthorized disclo-
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sure of a subpoena under section 3486.ββ.
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(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.βThe table of sections
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at the beginning of chapter 223 of title 18, United States
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Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to
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section 3486 the following:
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ββ3486A. Judicial review of nondisclosure requirements.ββ.
Γ
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