Postal Data Privacy Act of 2026

[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 ref