Title: Strengthening Department of Homeland Security Secure Mail Act
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics

Summary:
Strengthening Department of Homeland Security Secure Mail Act
This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security to provide for an option under which a person to whom a document is sent may elect to use the U.S. Postal Service's Signature Confirmation service or Priority Mail Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery service to send secure identity documents.
The bill also permits the use of a private carrier that offers substantially similar services.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9024 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9024

 To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to provide for an option 
 under which a person to whom a document is sent may elect to use the 
   United States Postal Service's Signature Confirmation service or 
  Priority Mail Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery service to 
        send secure identity documents, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 17, 2020

  Ms. Speier introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
    Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on 
Oversight and Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to provide for an option 
 under which a person to whom a document is sent may elect to use the 
   United States Postal Service's Signature Confirmation service or 
  Priority Mail Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery service to 
        send secure identity documents, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Strengthening Department of Homeland 
Security Secure Mail Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act--
            (1) the terms ``Signature Confirmation service'' and 
        ``Priority Mail Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery 
        service'' means the services described in section 503.8.1.1.a 
        and 503.8.1.1.b, respectively, of the Domestic Mail Manual (or 
        any successor services);
            (2) the term ``Immigration Examinations Fee Account'' means 
        the account established under section 286(m) of the Immigration 
        and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1356(m));
            (3) the term ``Postal Service'' means the United States 
        Postal Service;
            (4) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Homeland 
        Security; and
            (5) the term ``secure identity document'' means an 
        Employment Authorization Document, a Permanent Resident Card, a 
        Travel Document (including advance parole document), or any 
        other document so designated by the Secretary of Homeland 
        Security.

SEC. 3. USE OF SIGNATURE CONFIRMATION AND PRIORITY MAIL SIGNATURE 
              CONFIRMATION RESTRICTED DELIVERY SERVICES TO DELIVER 
              SECURE IDENTITY DOCUMENT.

    (a) In General.--Beginning not later than 18 months after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
provide for an option under which a person to whom a document is sent 
may elect to use the United States Postal Service's Signature 
Confirmation service or Priority Mail Signature Confirmation Restricted 
Delivery service (or any successor services) to send a secure identity 
document.
    (b) Notice of Changes; Application.--
            (1) Notice of changes.--The Postal Service shall notify the 
        Secretary of any changes to the Signature Confirmation service 
        or the Priority Mail Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery 
        service.
            (2) Application.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
        Postal Service shall allow any individual represented by an 
        attorney or accredited representative and who elects to have a 
        secure identity document delivered by a service described in 
        such subsection to elect that such document may be delivered to 
        any employee of such attorney or accredited representative.
    (c) Use of Private Carrier.--
            (1) In general.--If the Secretary determines that a private 
        carrier that offers substantially similar services to the 
        Signature Confirmation service or the Priority Mail Signature 
        Confirmation Restricted Delivery service would provide better 
        service and value than the Postal Service provides under 
        subsection (a), the Secretary may, in accordance with paragraph 
        (2) of this subsection--
                    (A) decline or discontinue use of the Signature 
                Confirmation service or Priority Mail Signature 
                Confirmation Restricted Delivery service under 
                subsection (a); and
                    (B) enter into a contract with the private carrier 
                to provide such substantially similar services.
            (2) Requirements.--The Secretary may not exercise the 
        authority under paragraph (1) unless the Secretary determines, 
        and notifies the Postal Service, that the private carrier 
        offers services that are substantially similar to the Signature 
        Confirmation service or Priority Mail Signature Confirmation 
        Restricted Delivery service.

SEC. 4. REPORT.

    Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that describes--
            (1) the implementation of the requirements under section 3; 
        and
            (2) the number of times during the previous year that a 
        person used a service under subsection (a) or (c)(1)(B) of 
        section 3.
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