HR9076Referred to Committee

Postal Data Privacy Act of 2026

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Introduced
In Committee
3
Passed One Chamber
4
Passed Both
5
Signed into Law
119th
Congress
2026-05-29
Introduced
6
Cosponsors
HR
ⓘ
Type

Sponsor

Mary Gay Scanlon
Mary Gay Scanlon
Democrat · PA · Representative
Votes with party: 98.7% (543 recorded votes)

Full profile: /officials/S001205

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

Cosponsors (6)

Members who have signed on to support this bill since introduction. Source: Congress.gov.

Latest Action

The most recent step in the bill's legislative path. Committee Activity below shows referrals and reports; the full action-by-action history including floor proceedings lives at Congress.gov →

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

2026-05-29

Source: Congress.gov

Committee Activity

Currently in

Plain-English Summary

The legislation would establish new privacy protections for personal information that the U.S. Postal Service collects and handles, requiring the agency to limit how it uses customer data and restricting who it can share that information with. The rules would apply to details like names, addresses, and delivery information that postal workers and systems gather during mail delivery and postal services. This would affect millions of Americans who use the mail system and want stronger safeguards over their personal data.

AI-assisted summary generated from the official bill metadata (title, subjects, actions) sourced from Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed. Always verify against the official text linked below.

Full Bill Text

Verbatim text published on Congress.gov via GovInfo. Use Cmd+F / Ctrl+F to search within this excerpt.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 9076 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 9076 To require a court order for use of a mail cover. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 29, 2026 Ms. Scanlon (for herself, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. McGovern, Ms. Norton, and Ms. Jacobs) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To require a court order for use of a mail cover. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Postal Data Privacy Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. MAIL COVERS. (a) In General.--Chapter 83 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1737 the following: ``Sec. 1738. Limitation on use of mail covers ``(a) Requirement for Court Order.-- ``(1) Limitation.--A governmental entity may not use a mail cover, unless the governmental entity obtains a court order pursuant to paragraph (2). ``(2) Court order.--A court order authorizing the use of a mail cover may be issued by any court that is a court of competent jurisdiction and shall issue only if a governmental entity offers specific and articulable facts showing that there are reasonable grounds to believe that mail covers are relevant and material to an ongoing criminal investigation. In the case of a State governmental authority, such a court order shall not issue if prohibited by the law of such State. ``(b) Requirement To Preserve Evidence.-- ``(1) In general.--The Chief Postal Inspector, upon the request of a governmental entity, shall take all necessary steps to preserve records and other evidence in its possession pending the issuance of a court order or other process. ``(2) Period of retention.--Records referred to in paragraph (1) shall be retained for a period of 90 days, which shall be extended for an additional 90-day period upon a renewed request by the governmental entity. ``(c) Mail Cover Defined.--The term `mail cover' has the meaning given that term in section 233.3 of title 39, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).''. (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 83 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item related to section 1737 the following: ``1738. Limitation on use of mail covers.''. <all>
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