# Plain Language Summary: USPIS Surveillance Protection Act

The U.S. Postal Service has been running a secret program called iCOP (Internet Covert Operations Program) that monitors what Americans post on social media. This bill would cut off all federal funding for that program. Essentially, it's saying the government can't spend taxpayer money to have postal inspectors watch people's online activity unless it's directly related to mail, postal crimes, or protecting postal facilities and workers.

Here's why this matters: The Postal Inspection Service is supposed to investigate crimes involving the mail—things like mail fraud or theft from mailboxes. But iCOP has been monitoring social media posts that have nothing to do with the postal system. According to the bill, even the Postal Service's own Inspector General found in 2022 that the program went beyond what the agency was legally allowed to do. The bill's supporters argue this surveillance violates people's privacy and First Amendment rights to free speech, and they claim the program has been used in politically motivated ways to target certain groups.

If this bill passes, the Postal Inspection Service would have to stop funding iCOP and similar surveillance programs that target people without a clear connection to postal operations. This would prevent federal money from being used to monitor Americans' social media activity just because of what they're saying online. For most people, this would mean one less government agency watching their internet posts, though it wouldn't affect other federal surveillance programs run by different agencies like the FBI or NSA.

USPIS Surveillance Protection Act

Gaetz, Matt

USPIS Surveillance Protection Act 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 targets that do not have an identified connection to the mail, postal crimes, or the security of Postal Service facilities or personnel, or with politically motivated targets.