WASHINGTON – Today, Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) sent a letter to U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer Louis DeJoy raising concerns over USPS’s changes to its privacy policy that could allow the release of customers’ personal information to labor unions.
In the letter, Foxx writes: “I am astonished by such a potential breach of personal information, and I seek information about USPS’s collection of information that it could disseminate to labor unions. … USPS has distributed over 755 million COVID tests. USPS’s COVID-19 test kit webform required Americans to provide highly personal information to obtain the test kits, including their names, addresses, and email addresses. … The COVID-19 test kit webform included a ‘Privacy Act Statement’ explaining that USPS does not disclose a user’s information without consent, except in limited circumstances. One of the exceptions is to disclose ‘to labor organizations as required by applicable law.’”
Foxx continues: “USPS guidance states, ‘Privacy notices are essential for ensuring that the Postal Service is transparent to the individual with regard to its use of personal information and for maintaining compliance with federal laws.’ … I am concerned that USPS is failing to uphold this principle of transparency. Moreover, I am also concerned that if USPS were to disseminate personal information to labor unions, it would breach the Privacy Act, which restricts disclosure of personally identifiable records maintained by agencies.”
Foxx concludes by requesting documents and information, including:
When did USPS first use a Privacy Act Statement online that mentions labor organizations?
Explain why USPS’s privacy policy does not mention labor organizations but several Privacy Act Statements do.
Identify which “applicable law” permits USPS to give Americans’ personal information to labor organizations.
Provide all documents and communications between or among employees or contractors of USPS and any labor organizations regarding USPS providing Americans’ personal information to labor organizations.
