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Congress·In Committee·H.R. 7738

Rep. Lieu and Rep. Davidson Introduce Bill to End Indefinite Secrecy for Government Surveillance

Government Surveillance Transparency Act of 2026

16 days ago·View on Congress.gov
Part of: Government Surveillance Transparency Act of 2026

Legislative Progress

House
Senate
President
Law

Key Points

  • This bill changes how the government uses secret orders to watch people's phones, emails, and locations. It stops the practice of keeping these orders hidden forever, requiring most to be made public after 180 days unless a judge finds a specific reason to keep them secret longer.
  • It affects anyone who is the target of a criminal investigation. Under the new rules, the government must eventually tell you if they searched your digital records or listened to your calls, ensuring you know when your privacy has been interrupted.
  • Currently, many people never find out they were under surveillance because the paperwork stays sealed in court. This bill aims to increase transparency by creating a searchable public database of these orders so citizens and oversight groups can see how often the government is watching people.
  • To protect active investigations, the bill allows for extensions of secrecy if there is a risk of physical danger, evidence destruction, or a suspect fleeing. However, the government must provide specific facts to a judge to justify each extension rather than getting a blanket approval.
  • The plan includes $25 million in grants to help state and tribal courts update their computer systems to handle these new transparency requirements. Most of these changes would start two years after the bill becomes law to give agencies time to prepare.
Civil RightsCriminal JusticeTechnology Digital

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Feb 26, 2026House

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Feb 26, 2026

Introduced in House

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

2 years after enactment

New surveillance transparency rules take effect for federal courts

Federal courts must start following the new rules on sealing limits, public docketing, and mandatory notice to surveillance targets. People who are investigated will begin receiving notifications about past surveillance.

4 years after enactment

State and tribal courts with limited technology must comply

Courts that needed extra time to upgrade their electronic systems must now follow the same transparency rules as federal courts, ensuring nationwide consistency in surveillance accountability.

June following the first full year of implementation

First annual public reports on surveillance orders published

For the first time, the public can see detailed data on how many surveillance orders were requested, granted, denied, and extended across the country — making it possible to spot patterns or abuse.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Government Surveillance Transparency Act of 2026

Bill NumberHR 7738
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(1)
R: 1

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.