Cybersecurity Policy Report, Democrats Aim to Discover Whether DOGE Plans to Combine Agency Files Into Single Database, (Jun 13, 2025)
Organizations Mentioned:Palantir Technologies, Inc.
Legislation that would require the Trump administration to disclose whether it plans to feed the personal information held by federal agencies into a single, central database has been introduced by all 19 Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee.
The resolution of inquiry (H. Res. 502, 119th Cong. (2025)) reflects concerns about reports that the administration has contracted with Palantir Technologies, Inc., a data analytics firm, “to build a vast, centralized database that will compile deeply personal information on the American people,” according to a news release.
A recent report in The New York Times described the project as part of the work of the White House Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has been sifting through data at various federal agencies since President Trump took office.
But Palantir disputed the Times account in a blog post on X. “Palantir is not a vendor on any master database project to unify databases across federal agencies. Palantir has not proposed the US Government build a ‘master list’ for the surveillance of citizens, nor have we been asked to consider building such a system for any customer,” the company said.
The resolution would require the White House and departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services to provide any documentation regarding Palantir’s work on a “centralized database ... that compiles American citizens’ personal information across Federal agencies and departments, including confidential taxpayer, identity, wage, child support, bank account, student loan, health, medical, financial, or other information,” according to its text.
It would also require the administration to describe the “purpose and potential uses of a centralized database, including whether it will be used to conduct Federal tax audits and investigations, conduct Federal criminal investigations, restrict or deny Social Security benefits, restrict or deny Medicare coverage, or sell or make available information for private purchase.”
“With privacy next to liberty in our Democratic system, a surveillance state is anti-American. The people entrust the government to safeguard their most private data, not weaponize it against them,” said Rep. Richard Neal (D., Mass.), the Ways and Means Committee’s ranking member.
“DOGE is seeking unprecedented access, not authorized by federal law, to highly sensitive taxpayer data information,” said Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D., Texas), ranking member of the committee’s health subcommittee and sponsor of the resolution.
“Placing confidential information on earnings, bank accounts, health care into a single universally accessible format makes it much more exposed to unauthorized individuals. It would be a gross violation of our basic privacy rights,” Rep. Doggett added.
The resolution was referred to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which, under House rules, will have 14 days to vote on the resolution. If the committee does not act within that timeframe, the resolution can receive immediate consideration on the House floor.
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