Editorial Notes
References in Text

This subchapter, referred to in subsec. (h), was in the original, “this Act” and was translated as reading “this title”, meaning title VI of Pub. L. 90–321, known as the Fair Credit Reporting Act, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 626 of Pub. L. 90–321 was renumbered section 627 and is classified to section 1681v of this title.

Amendments

2015—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 114–23, § 501(c)(1), substituted “that information that includes a term that specifically identifies a consumer or account to be used as the basis for the production of that information,” for “that information,”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 114–23, § 501(c)(2), substituted “written request that includes a term that specifically identifies a consumer or account to be used as the basis for the production of that information,” for “written request,”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 114–23, § 501(c)(3), inserted “, which shall include a term that specifically identifies a consumer or account to be used as the basis for the production of the information,” after “issue an order ex parte”.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 114–23, § 502(c), added subsec. (d) and struck out former subsec. (d) which related to confidentiality.

Subsecs. (e) to (n). Pub. L. 114–23, § 503(c), added subsec. (e) and redesignated former subsecs. (e) to (m) as (f) to (n), respectively.

2006—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 109–177 reenacted heading without change and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “No consumer reporting agency or officer, employee, or agent of a consumer reporting agency shall disclose to any person, other than those officers, employees, or agents of a consumer reporting agency necessary to fulfill the requirement to disclose information to the Federal Bureau of Investigation under this section, that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has sought or obtained the identity of financial institutions or a consumer report respecting any consumer under subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this section, and no consumer reporting agency or officer, employee, or agent of a consumer reporting agency shall include in any consumer report any information that would indicate that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has sought or obtained such information or a consumer report.”

Subsec. (d)(4). Pub. L. 109–178 amended par. (4) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (4) read as follows: “At the request of the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the designee of the Director, any person making or intending to make a disclosure under this section shall identify to the Director or such designee the person to whom such disclosure will be made or to whom such disclosure was made prior to the request, but in no circumstance shall a person be required to inform the Director or such designee that the person intends to consult an attorney to obtain legal advice or legal assistance.”

2002—Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 107–306 designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).

2001—Pub. L. 107–56, § 505(c), which directed amendment of section 624 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, was executed by making the amendment to this section to reflect the probable intent of Congress and the renumbering of section 624 as 625 by section 358(g)(1)(A) of Pub. L. 107–56. See below.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–56, § 505(c)(1), inserted “in a position not lower than Deputy Assistant Director at Bureau headquarters or a Special Agent in Charge of a Bureau field office designated by the Director” after “Investigation, or the Director’s designee” and substituted “in writing, that such information is sought for the conduct of an authorized investigation to protect against international terrorism or clandestine intelligence activities, provided that such an investigation of a United States person is not conducted solely upon the basis of activities protected by the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States.” for pars. (1) and (2) requiring determination in writing that the information requested is necessary for the conduct of an authorized foreign counterintelligence investigation and that there are specific and articulable facts giving reason to believe that the consumer is a foreign power or a person who is not a United States person and is an official of a foreign power, or that the consumer is an agent of a foreign power and is engaging or has engaged in an act of international terrorism or clandestine intelligence activities that involve or may involve a violation of criminal statutes of the United States.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107–56, § 505(c)(2), inserted “in a position not lower than Deputy Assistant Director at Bureau headquarters or a Special Agent in Charge of a Bureau field office designated by the Director” after “signed by the Director or the Director’s designee” and substituted “in writing that such information is sought for the conduct of an authorized investigation to protect against international terrorism or clandestine intelligence activities, provided that such an investigation of a United States person is not conducted solely upon the basis of activities protected by the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States.” for pars. (1) and (2) requiring determination in writing that the information requested is necessary to the conduct of an authorized counterintelligence investigation and that there is information giving reason to believe that the consumer has been, or is about to be, in contact with a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 107–56, § 505(c)(3), inserted “in a position not lower than Deputy Assistant Director at Bureau headquarters or a Special Agent in Charge in a Bureau field office designated by the Director” after “designee of the Director” and substituted “in camera that the consumer report is sought for the conduct of an authorized investigation to protect against international terrorism or clandestine intelligence activities, provided that such an investigation of a United States person is not conducted solely upon the basis of activities protected by the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States.” for pars. (1) and (2) requiring a showing in camera that the consumer report is necessary for the conduct of an authorized foreign counterintelligence investigation and there are specific and articulable facts giving reason to believe that the consumer whose consumer report is sought is an agent of a foreign power and is engaging or has engaged in an act of international terrorism or in clandestine intelligence activities that involve or may involve a violation of criminal statutes of the United States.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Change of Name

Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs of House of Representatives treated as referring to Committee on Banking and Financial Services of House of Representatives by section 1(a) of Pub. L. 104–14, set out as a note preceding section 21 of Title 2, The Congress. Committee on Banking and Financial Services of House of Representatives abolished and replaced by Committee on Financial Services of House of Representatives, and jurisdiction over matters relating to securities and exchanges and insurance generally transferred from Committee on Energy and Commerce of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Seventh Congress, Jan. 3, 2001.

Effective Date of 2001 Amendment

Amendment by section 358(g)(1)(A) of Pub. L. 107–56 applicable with respect to reports filed or records maintained on, before, or after Oct. 26, 2001, see section 358(h) of Pub. L. 107–56, set out as a note under section 1829b of this Title 12, Banks and Banking.