The NAPS Legislative Support page ensures that NAPS members have the tools to act on behalf of and to protect the Postal and Fed/Postal communities. We regard the legislative bill-tracking program as an important and unprecedented step to enhance the effectiveness and advance the common interests of NAPS as well as the Fed/Postal Community we partner with by allowing members to become more readily aware of key pieces of legislation that may greatly impact the life and working condition of our members and the federal workforce.
In an emergency Saturday, August 22 session, the House of Representatives will return to the Capitol to vote on H.R. 8015, the “Delivering for American Act.” Last week, House Oversight and Reform Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney introduced the bill, which would require the USPS to restore the levels of service and operations to those that were in effect prior to January 1, 2020. We anticipate H.R. 8015 will be modified prior floor consideration to include among other items, $25 billion in emergency assistance to the USPS. The $25 billion is the amount the Postal Board of Governors unanimously requested earlier this year. NAPS acknowledges that, on Tuesday, the Postmaster General announced he would suspend further implementation of the operational changes proposed over the past two months. Nevertheless, the legislation is necesssary because H.R. 8015 would reverse past actions and put into law key protections to safeguard America’s mail service. In sum, the bill would provide resources to assist in the efficient and timely delivery of mail. Therefore, NAPS urges its members to contact their members of Congress to vote in favor of HR 8015.
In addition, the two congressional committees having jurisdiction over the U.S. Postal Service have scheduled hearings relating to the escalating controversy over the Postal Service’s recent operational and organizational changes. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing will be conducting its hearing on Friday morning, August 21 at 9:00 AM EDT and the House Committee on Oversight and Reform has scheduled its hearing on Monday morning, August 24 at 10:00 AM EDT. At this time the only witness slate for the Senate hearing is Postmaster General Louis DeJoy; the House hearing will feature the Postmaster General and Postal Board of Governors Chairman Robert Duncan. The hearings are being livestreamed here: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and House Oversight and Reform.
Prior to recessing for the July 4th weekend, Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Diane Feinstein (D-CA) introduced bipartisan legislation (S. 4174) to provide the Postal Service with much-needed financial relief to help offset the impact of COVID-19. This assistance will help sustain the agency. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT), Jon Tester (D-MT) and Doug Jones (D-AL) joined Senators Collins and Feinstein as orginal cosponsors.
NAPS Executive Vice President Ivan Butts commented on the bill's introduction: "NAPS applauds and fully supports the introduction of the Postal Service and Emergency Assistance Act by Seantor Susan Collins and Senator Diane Feinstein. This critical, timely legislation speaks directly to the voice of America for the sustainability of the Postal Service as an essential provider of medicines and other goods in today's environment."
S. 4174 provides the USPS with up to $25 billion in COVID-19-related emergency funding, clarifies that the $10 billion loan previously authorized in the CARES Act would be subject to the same conditions extended in previous loans (i.e., no new Treasury Department conditions), and directs the USPS to transmit to Congress a plan to ensure the long-term solvency of the agency.
NAPS requests its members to urge their Senators to support S. 4174, the Collins-Feinstein postal relief bill, and request that Senate Leadership include the bill's provisions in the COVID-19 legislative package currently being crafted.
Introduced by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) -- legislation would provide funds to invest in national infrastructure. The bill includes $25 billion for the Postal Service to invest in innovative mail processing equipment and new delivery vehicles, including $6 billion ear-marked for "next generation" electric vehicles.
Introduced by Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Peter King (R-NY) -- bipartisan legislation would authorize a $25 billion emergency appropriation to the U.S. Postal Service and prioritize the acquistion of person protective equipment for frontline postal employees.
Introduced by Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) -- legislation responds to the COVID-19 outbreak and its impact on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses. In part, the legislation would provide $25 billion in emergency appropriations to the U.S. Postal Service. In addition, the bill would eliminate the Treasury Department conditions related to the loan made available in H.R. 748 (signed into law), authorize up to $10,000 in pandemic pay for frontline public and private (including postal supervisors and postmasters), and expand vote-by-mail.
Introduced by Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO) -- legislation would appropriate a $25 billion emergency appropriation to the U.S. Postal Service.
In introduced by Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) -- The legislation is intended to provide economic COVID-19 relief to the country. In part, legislation provides the U.S. Postal Service with an additional $10 billion line of credit under conditions and terms established by the Department of the Treasury. In addition, the legislation provides $400 million in technical election assistance to states to conduct elections in the midst of pandemic (including vote by mail). The bill would also authorize delivery point flexibility in COVID-19 impacted communties.
Today, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL) introduced the Postal Supervisors and Managers Fairness Act (H.R. 6085). The legislation requires the timely start of the consultation process between postal supervisor organizations and the Postal Service over USPS-proposed changes in pay and benefits for postal supervisors and mid-level employees. It also provides finality to the decision and recommendations of a factfinding panel, appointed by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, in the event of an impasse between a postal supervisor organization and the Postal Service over proposed changes in pay and benefits. Approximately 40,000 plus employees in the Executive Administrative Schedule (EAS) of the Postal Service are covered by the pay consultation process.
“NAPS is grateful to Representative Connolly, the chair of the House Subcommittee on Government Operations, and Representative Bost for their leadership in making the supervisor pay consultation process timelier and fairer,” said Brian J. Wagner, NAPS National President.
“Our campaign to pass the Postal Supervisors and Managers Act will mark a new era of grassroots
advocacy for NAPS,” said NAPS Executive Vice President Ivan Butts. “This would not be possible
without the assistance of legislative champions like Mr. Connelly and Mr. Bost. NAPS’ advocacy will emphasize to Congress the important role that EAS supervisors and managers play in keeping America’s mail system moving.”
NAPS urges all EAS employees to contact their House member to request their co-sponsorship of H.R. 6085.
Introduced by Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) -- legislation is a bipartisan bill to repeal the punitive provision in the 2006 Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act that requires the Postal Service to prefund its retiree health obligations.
Introduced by Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) -- the legislation would permit the investment of the Postal Retiree Health Benefits Fund in index funds similar to the Thrift Savings Plan long-term lifecycle fund.
Introduced by Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) -- the legislation is a bipartisan bill to provide the Postal Service with the authority to mail alcoholic bevareages.
Introduced by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) -- the USPS Fairness Act, is a bipartisan bill to repeal the punitive provision in the 2006 Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act that requires the Postal Service to prefund its retiree health obligations.
Introduced by Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) -- Expresses the sense of the Senate that the Congress ensure that the U.S. Postal Service is not privatized.
Introduced by Rep. Gerry Connolly -- Legislation to extend the right to appeal to the Merit System Protection Board to certain EAS level employees of the United State Postal Service
Introduced by Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL) -- Legislation to repeal the Windfall Elimination Provisions and the Government Pension Offset
