Postal Data Privacy Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9076
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-29: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-23T08:05:46Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose The Postal Data Privacy Act of 2026 aims to limit government access to information on the exterior of mail by requiring judicial approval before a governmental entity may use a mail cover.
Key Provisions
- Adds a new section 1738 to chapter 83 of title 18, United States Code.
- Prohibits any governmental entity from using a mail cover unless it first obtains a court order from a court of competent jurisdiction.
- A court may issue the order only upon a showing of specific and articulable facts that establish reasonable grounds to believe the mail cover is relevant and material to an ongoing criminal investigation.
- For state authorities, the order may not issue if state law prohibits it.
- Requires the Chief Postal Inspector, upon request, to preserve relevant records for an initial 90-day period, which may be extended by another 90 days upon renewed request.
- Defines “mail cover” by reference to the existing regulation at 39 C.F.R. § 233.3 (or any successor regulation).
Significant Changes to Existing Law The bill creates the first statutory requirement for a court order before a governmental entity may obtain a mail cover. Prior to this legislation, mail covers could be authorized by administrative or investigative personnel without judicial oversight.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: Law enforcement and investigative agencies must now prepare and present applications to courts, increasing procedural steps and time before obtaining mail cover information.
- Citizens: Individuals receive an additional layer of judicial review before the government records sender/recipient information on their mail.
- U.S. Postal Service: The Postal Inspection Service gains a statutory role in preserving records pending court process.
- No direct effects on international relations are addressed in the text.
Main Stakeholders
- Federal, state, and local governmental entities that conduct criminal investigations.
- Federal courts and state courts of competent jurisdiction.
- The United States Postal Service and its Chief Postal Inspector.
- Individuals whose mail is subject to potential mail covers.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The legislation codifies a judicial-approval process for mail covers, which may align with Fourth Amendment privacy interests in the information appearing on the outside of mail. It does not alter the underlying definition of a mail cover or address the opening of mail contents.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5]
Cosponsors (9)
Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51], Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33], Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2], Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1], Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-29: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2026-05-29: Introduced in House
- 2026-05-29: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Postal Data Privacy Act of 2026 — issued 2026-05-29 — PDF (3 pages)