The Postal Data Privacy Act of 2026 requires federal and state law enforcement agencies to obtain a court order before using a mail cover, which is a postal surveillance technique that records information about mail sent to or from a specific address. Currently, authorities can request mail covers from the Postal Service without judicial approval, but this bill would require them to demonstrate to a court that there are reasonable grounds to believe the surveillance is relevant to an ongoing criminal investigation. The legislation affects all governmental entities seeking to monitor mail, and it directs the Chief Postal Inspector to preserve postal records for up to 180 days while agencies work to obtain the necessary court authorization. The bill does not include specific funding allocations, as its primary impact is procedural rather than budgetary.
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