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Securing Our Future Through Political Action

Securing Our Future Through Political Action
By Chuck Mulidore
NAPS Executive Vice President

One of my duties as executive vice president is to manage the NAPS legislative portfolio on behalf of our members. Thus, the title of this column reflects the legislative and political message of NAPS for the coming year. This means communicating NAPS’ legislative priorities to members of Congress and seeking to pass legislation that benefits not only working postal managers, supervisors and postmasters, but also protects all postal and federal retirees who continually face legislation in Congress that could reduce or, in some cases, eliminate benefits and rights they were promised during their working careers.

Accomplishing this mission requires that NAPS has a political action committee to support those candidates and incumbent legislators who support our legislative agenda. Thus, in 1978, the NAPS Executive Board established the Supervisors’ Political Action Committee (SPAC) as the organization’s legislative fundraising arm. Since then, SPAC has raised millions of dollars to aid political candidates who support NAPS’ legislative priorities.

One of our key legislative priorities this year will be passage of H.R. 3005, the Postal Police Reform Act, as well as the Senate companion bill, S. 3356. Members of the House and Senate committees with jurisdiction over postal matters have introduced this bipartisan legislation with the goal of bringing greater security to Postal Service employees. NAPS continues to lobby members of the House and Senate to pass these bipartisan legislative proposals.

NAPS also lobbies both chambers of Congress to pass bills such as H.R. 594, which would bring clarity and common sense to the pay consultation process for NAPS members. Also H.R. 595, which would grant MSPB rights to those EAS employees who currently do not have access to that process in the event of an adverse action.

The keystone of our legislative agenda each year is the Legislative Training Seminar (LTS) that brings NAPS members from across the country to our nation’s capital to personally lobby members of Congress on behalf of postal and NAPS issues. This indepth, multi-day training event educates NAPS members on current legislative and political issues confronting them and the Postal Service.

The comprehensive legislative instruction provided at LTS results in effective meetings between NAPS members and lawmakers and their staffs on Capitol Hill, as well as back in their home states and districts. In addition, key senators, representatives and USPS leaders address LTS delegates. This year’s LTS will be held March 3–6 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, VA.

As you can see, NAPS has a strong, targeted legislative program and message on behalf of our members. How do we make all this happen? Well, it’s you! Your contributions fund SPAC; without those dollars, NAPS’ legislative work could not happen.

As we move closer to the 2024 elections, funding SPAC becomes even more critical. Jesse Unruh, California Assembly speaker from 1961 to 1968, is credited with coining the phrase, “Money is the mother’s milk of politics.” For better or worse, that most often is the case.

In order to have our legislative priorities heard and supported, NAPS must have a healthy political action committee. And thanks to the generous support of many NAPS members, we have just that. NAPS regular, associate and auxiliary members are eligible to contribute to SPAC. You can contribute online or by sending a check or money order to NAPS Headquarters.

If you are a working EAS NAPS member, we encourage you to sign up for easy payroll deductions through our “Drive for 5” program. We make it easy and your dollars help improve your working conditions and secure your retirement into the future.

Visit the NAPS Legislative Center for additional valuable information. Help us secure our future through political action!