To reaffirm the constitutional and statutory protections accorded sealed domestic mail, and for other purposes.

1. Adds SEC. ___. SENSE OF CONGRESS RELATING TO CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY PROTECTIONS ACCORDED SEALED DOMESTIC MAIL wherever appropriate

   Adds a section

   Inserted: SEC. ___. SENSE OF CONGRESS RELATING TO CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY PROTECTIONS ACCORDED SEALED DOMESTIC MAIL.

   Inserted: (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--

   Inserted: (1) all Americans depend on the United States Postal Service to transact business and communicate with friends and family;

   Inserted: (2) postal customers have a constitutional right to expect that their sealed domestic mail will be protected against unreasonable searches;

   Inserted: (3) the circumstances and procedures under which the Government may search sealed mail are well defined, including provisions under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), and generally require prior judicial approval;

   Inserted: (4) the United States Postal Inspection Service has the authority to open and search a sealed envelope or package when there is immediate threat to life or limb or an immediate and substantial danger to property;

   Inserted: (5) the United States Postal Service affirmed January 4, 2007, that the enactment of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (Public Law 109-435) does not grant Federal law enforcement officials any new authority to open domestic mail;

   Inserted: (6) questions have been raised about these basic privacy protections following issuance of the President's signing statement on the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (Public Law 109-435); and

   Inserted: (7) the Senate rejects any interpretation of the President's signing statement on the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (Public Law 109-435) that in any way diminishes the privacy protections accorded sealed domestic mail under the Constitution and Federal laws and regulations.

   Inserted: (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that Congress reaffirms the constitutional and statutory protections accorded sealed domestic mail.

   The amendment doesn't say where this goes; the clerk decides.

   Original wording

   At the appropriate place, insert the following:

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As printed