H.R. 8491

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8491 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8491

To direct the United States Postal Service to conduct a study on the 
feasibility of carrying out a program to provide electronic 
notifications to Postal Service customers regarding weather and mail 
delivery, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 23, 2026

Ms. Scholten introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To direct the United States Postal Service to conduct a study on the 
feasibility of carrying out a program to provide electronic 
notifications to Postal Service customers regarding weather and mail 
delivery, 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 ``Postal Alert and Weather 
Preparedness Act''.

SEC. 2. FEASIBILITY STUDY ON PROGRAM TO SEND ELECTRONIC NOTIFICATIONS 
REGARDING WEATHER AND MAIL DELIVERY TO POSTAL SERVICE 
CUSTOMERS.

(a) Study and Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Postmaster General shall--
(1) conduct a study to evaluate the feasibility of carrying 
out a program, using the United States Postal Service's 
informed delivery platform, under which the Postal Service may 
send electronic notifications to Postal Service customers 
regarding weather and mail delivery, including notifications--
(A) with respect to a delay in the delivery of mail 
as a result of inclement weather or natural disasters;
(B) that post offices and other Postal Service 
locations may be closed or operating with limited hours 
and staffing as a result of inclement weather or 
natural disasters; and
(C) that property owners and renters should clear 
walkways to their doors and mailboxes for mail carriers 
in the event of the accumulation of snow, sleet, ice, 
or debris; and
(2) submit a report on such study to the Committee on 
Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 
of the Senate.
(b) Requirements.--In the study under subsection (a), the 
Postmaster General shall evaluate the following with respect to 
carrying out the program:
(1) Methods of how the Postal Service would expand the 
ability of Postal Service customers to be enrolled in the 
informed delivery platform.
(2) How electronic messages will be sent under the program, 
the criteria for sending messages and appropriate content of 
messages, and who will receive the message.
(c) Contact Information.--For purposes of subsection (b)(1)(B), the 
term ``contact information'' shall only include the name, mailing 
address, email address, or phone number of any Postal Service Customer.
(d) Program.--On or after the date the report is submitted to 
Congress under subsection (a)(2), the Postal Service may carry out the 
program described in such study.
(e) Application.--The Postal Service may carry out this Act 
notwithstanding section 552a of title 5, United States Code, (commonly 
known as the ``Privacy Act of 1974'').
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