Contact Congress about H.R. 7816: Protect Liberty and End Warrantless Surveillance Act of 2026

U.S. agencies would need stronger court approval for many searches of Americans' data in foreign intelligence systems. They also could not buy many kinds of personal data from data brokers to get around court orders.

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Protect Liberty and End Warrantless Surveillance Act of 2026 is a House bill in committee. The latest recorded action: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Latest action on H.R. 7816: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Who this affects: This bill mainly affects people in the United States whose communications, location data, web history, or other digital records could be searched or bought by the government. It also affects intelligence agencies, police, data brokers, online services, cloud providers, phone companies, libraries, schools, and the courts that review surveillance requests.

Why this matters: This bill matters because agencies can often search or buy digital records faster than most people realize. The bill would push more of that work through courts, warrants, and written rules. It could better protect private data, especially data sold in commercial markets. It could also slow some investigations or intelligence work when officials need quick access. The real effect would depend on how agencies follow the new rules and how courts read them.

Key provisions in H.R. 7816

• Officials usually could not search Section 702 data for U.S.-person information without a warrant or similar approval. Exceptions would cover existing FISA orders, emergencies, consent, and narrow defensive cybersecurity searches.
• The Attorney General would have to send yearly compliance reports to the intelligence and judiciary committees. The reports would cover emergency searches and use of emergency exceptions.
• If a court later rejects an emergency search, agencies generally could not use or share what they found. A narrow exception would allow sharing in life-threatening cases with Attorney General approval.
• Agencies could not use metadata-only searches to get around the new limits. Metadata means details about a communication, not the full message itself.
• The Section 702 search rules would also apply to mixed databases. That means larger systems would be covered when they include information collected under Section 702.

How Modern Action helps you take action on H.R. 7816

You do not have to start with a blank letter. Modern Action turns the bill, your position, and the relevant congressional context into a message you can edit and send. The goal is to make contacting Congress clear, specific, and useful without forcing you to parse bill text or figure out the right office on your own.

Questions people ask about H.R. 7816

What is H.R. 7816?

U.S. agencies would need stronger court approval for many searches of Americans' data in foreign intelligence systems. They also could not buy many kinds of personal data from data brokers to get around court orders.

How do I support or oppose H.R. 7816?

Choose support, oppose, or ask for changes on Modern Action. The action flow drafts the message for you and keeps the wording tied to this bill.

Who should I contact about H.R. 7816?

Modern Action uses your location to route the action to the congressional offices relevant to the bill and your representation.

Can Modern Action explain H.R. 7816 before I act?

Yes. Modern Action gives you a plain-English summary, current status, and action context before you send anything.