Government Surveillance Transparency Act of 2026 | ChamberLight

IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS

House BillHR 7738Crime and Law Enforcement

Government Surveillance Transparency Act of 2026

INTRO FEB 26· LAST ACTION FEB 26

READING

34MIN

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WHAT THE BILL DOES

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Voters should care about this bill because it addresses a fundamental question of privacy and government power: whether individuals have a right to know when they've been subjected to government surveillance in criminal cases. Currently, many surveillance orders can remain secret indefinitely, meaning a person might never learn that their calls were intercepted, their emails monitored, or their movements tracked by law enforcement.

If this bill becomes law, it would significantly increase transparency around government surveillance, offering a crucial check on potential overreach. It ensures that, at some point, the public and affected individuals can see the legal basis for surveillance, which is a key component of due process and civil liberties. If it doesn't pass, the existing system of potentially permanent secrecy for criminal surveillance orders will continue, leaving many Americans in the dark about government actions that directly impact their privacy.

KEY PROVISIONS

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PROVISION 01

Requires that targets of criminal surveillance orders eventually receive notice of the surveillance.

Ensures individuals are eventually informed about government surveillance against them, promoting transparency and allowing potential challenges.

PROVISION 02

Prohibits courts from indefinitely sealing criminal surveillance orders, applications, or inventories.

Prevents the permanent secrecy of government surveillance activities, making the process more accountable to the public and the judiciary.

PROVISION 03

Allows initial sealing of surveillance orders for up to 180 days if disclosure would cause an "adverse result" such as endangering an individual, flight from prosecution, or destruction of evidence.

Balances the need for transparency with law enforcement's ability to protect ongoing investigations and prevent harm.

PROVISION 04

Requires "heightened judicial review" for extensions of sealing orders beyond the first 180-day extension, based on a "particularized showing" of adverse results.

Makes it significantly harder for the government to maintain long-term secrecy without strong, specific justification, increasing judicial oversight and protecting civil liberties.

PROVISION 05

Mandates the government to promptly notify the court if the reason for sealing a surveillance order no longer exists, which then leads to the order being unsealed.

Prevents surveillance orders and related documents from remaining secret unnecessarily once the investigative need for secrecy has passed.

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ACTION TIMELINE

2 EVENTS

FEB 26

Introduced in House

INTROREFERRAL

FEB 26

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

HOUSE · INTROREFERRAL

BILL INFO

TypeHouse Bill

NumberHR 7738

Congress119th

StatusIn Committee

IntroducedFeb 26, 2026

Last actionFeb 26, 2026

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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · JUDICIARY COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED FEB 26, 2026

House BillHR 7738Crime and Law Enforcement

Government Surveillance Transparency Act of 2026

INTRODUCED FEB 26, 2026· LAST ACTION FEB 26, 2026

PASSAGE CHANCES

—%

READING

34 min

COSPONSORS

COMPLEXITY

Moderate

Call my reps Congress.gov

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

STEP 2 OF 8

Introduced

In Committee

Reported

Passed House

Passed Senate

Conference

To President

Became Law

Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

AI-written

KEY PROVISIONS

AI-extracted

high

Requires that targets of criminal surveillance orders eventually receive notice of the surveillance.

Ensures individuals are eventually informed about government surveillance against them, promoting transparency and allowing potential challenges.

high

Prohibits courts from indefinitely sealing criminal surveillance orders, applications, or inventories.

Prevents the permanent secrecy of government surveillance activities, making the process more accountable to the public and the judiciary.

med

Allows initial sealing of surveillance orders for up to 180 days if disclosure would cause an "adverse result" such as endangering an individual, flight from prosecution, or destruction of evidence.

Balances the need for transparency with law enforcement's ability to protect ongoing investigations and prevent harm.

high

Requires "heightened judicial review" for extensions of sealing orders beyond the first 180-day extension, based on a "particularized showing" of adverse results.

Makes it significantly harder for the government to maintain long-term secrecy without strong, specific justification, increasing judicial oversight and protecting civil liberties.

med

Mandates the government to promptly notify the court if the reason for sealing a surveillance order no longer exists, which then leads to the order being unsealed.

Prevents surveillance orders and related documents from remaining secret unnecessarily once the investigative need for secrecy has passed.

DEADLINES & DATES

AI-extracted

An AI model extracted this from the bill’s official record and can make mistakes. Check the official text ↗ (opens in new tab)

Not to exceed 180 days after the later of the date the order is executed or the authorized surveillance ends.

Initial sealing period for a criminal surveillance order, application, or inventory.

Up to 180 days.

Single extension of a sealing order.

Up to 180 days (each).

Subsequent extensions of a sealing order (after the first extension).

GLOSSARY

AI-written

Criminal Surveillance Order: A court permission allowing law enforcement to monitor communications, track devices, or conduct searches related to a criminal investigation.
Sealing an Order: The legal process by which a court keeps an official document, such as a surveillance order or its application, confidential and out of public view.
Non-Disclosure Order: A court directive preventing a third party (like a phone or internet company) from telling a customer that their information has been requested or provided to law enforcement.
Inventory: Official records and materials returned to a court after a surveillance order or warrant has been carried out, detailing what was collected or seized.
Adverse Result: Specific negative outcomes, such as endangering lives, allowing a suspect to flee, or destroying evidence, that law enforcement can argue would happen if a surveillance order is made public.
Heightened Judicial Review: A stricter level of scrutiny applied by a judge when evaluating a government request, requiring more compelling and specific justifications than a standard review.
Pen Register / Trap and Trace Device

ACTION TIMELINE

2 EVENTS

FEB 26

Introduced in House

INTROREFERRAL

FEB 26

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

INTROREFERRAL

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Government Surveillance Transparency Act of 2026

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

WHAT THE BILL DOES

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Government Surveillance Transparency Act of 2026

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

WHAT THE BILL DOES

KEY PROVISIONS

DEADLINES & DATES

GLOSSARY

ACTION TIMELINE

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