To amend title 18, United States Code, to require that notice of criminal surveillance orders be eventually provided to targets, to reform the use of non-disclosure orders to providers, to prohibit indefinite sealing of criminal surveillance orders, and for other purposes.

# Plain Language Summary of HR 7738 **What the Bill Would Do** This bill seeks to increase transparency and accountability in how law enforcement conducts secret surveillance. Specifically, it would require that people who are the targets of criminal surveillance orders (such as wiretaps or orders to access phone records) eventually be notified that they were surveilled. The bill would also reform how courts can issue "non-disclosure orders"—legal tools that prevent tech companies and service providers from telling their customers that law enforcement requested their data. Additionally, it would prohibit courts from permanently sealing (hiding) surveillance orders, meaning these records couldn't remain secret indefinitely. **Who It Affects and Current Status** This bill would impact criminal defendants, individuals under investigation, technology companies, and law enforcement agencies.

Criminal suspects would gain the right to eventually learn they were surveilled, while tech companies would gain more ability to inform users about government data requests. Law enforcement might face limits on how long they can keep surveillance activities secret. As of now, the bill is in committee (HR 7738, 119th Congress), meaning it has not yet been voted on by the full House of Representatives and remains in the early stages of the legislative process.