To the surprise of most observers, businesses and privacy advocates, the United States is closer than it has ever been to enacting a national data privacy law for its private sector, the American Data Privacy and Protection Act (ADPPA).(1) The proposed Act has strong bipartisan support, as shown in a 53-2 vote in its favour by the US House Energy and Commerce Committee on 20 July. It will now be subject to a vote by the full House (itself a first), before going to the Senate. US commentators are split over whether the legislation could or should be enacted before the current Congress completes its term in January 2023.