USPIS Surveillance Protection Act

Bill: 117-hr-2921
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Gaetz, Matt [R-FL-1]
Introduced: 2021-04-30
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Crime and Law Enforcement

Executive agency funding and structure

Government trust funds

Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information

Internet, web applications, social media

Postal service

U.S. Postal Service
Latest action: action_date: 2021-04-30
text: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-04-30
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>USPIS Surveillance Protection Act</strong></p> <p>This bill prohibits the use of federal funds to implement, conduct, or otherwise carry out the Internet Covert Operations Program (commonly referred to as iCOP) operated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service or any other domestic surveillance program with politically motivated targets.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2921 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 30, 2021 Mr. Gaetz (for himself, Mr. Gohmert , Mr. Buck , Mr. Perry , Mr. Biggs , Mr. Burchett , Mr. Massie , Mr. Steube , Mr. Gosar , and Mrs. Greene of Georgia ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform A BILL To prohibit funds from being used to implement the Internet Covert Operations Program under the United States Postal Inspection Service, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the USPIS Surveillance Protection Act . 2. Findings The Congress finds as follows: (1) The United States Postal Service has been operating a clandestine domestic surveillance program of Americans’ social media activity known as the Internet Covert Operations Program (iCOP). (2) iCOP is part of the United States Postal Inspection Service which is the law enforcement and security component of USPS. (3) The USP Inspection Service is operating outside of its USPS jurisdiction when it monitors internet users’ sharing of information as its jurisdiction is narrowly defined within postal mail only. (4) The iCOP program is a violation of privacy; it encroaches upon the private lives of Americans and seeks to curb constitutional rights of the First Amendment. (5) iCOP is not only illegal for operating outside of its stated jurisdiction, but also politically motivated in its target. 3. Prohibition on funding of program No Federal funds (including amounts available in the Postal Service Fund established under section 2003 of title 39, United States Code) may be used to implement, conduct, or otherwise carry out the Internet Covert Operations Program operated by the United States Postal Inspection Service or any other domestic surveillance program with politically motivated targets.