On Tuesday, May 11, House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) introduced H.R. 3076, the Postal Service Reform Act of 2021, and H.R. 3077, the Postal Service Improvement Act. Reps. James Comer (R-KY), Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Virginia Foxx (R-NC) joined Chairwoman Maloney in introducing H.R. 3076. Reps. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) and Brenda Lawrence (D-MI) joined Chairwoman Maloney in introducing H.R. 3077. The House Oversight and Reform Committee plans to consider both bills on Thursday morning, May 13.
The primary aim of H.R. 3076 is to stabilize the Postal Service's financial condition by repealing its requirement to prefund future retiree health benefits and to integrate Medicare with a newly created postal-only component of the Federal Employees Health Benefits. The bill provides Medicare integration for postal employees who retire on or after January 1, 2023. In addition, the legislation would enable the Postal Service to partner with other federal agencies, as well as state and local governments to provide revenue-generating services. H.R. 3076 would also require the Postal Service to establish annual performance targets and permit the mailing public to monitor postal performance on a publically available website. Furthermore, the legislation calls for the integration of the postal delivery network for market-dominant and competitve products to ensure that all mail is accorded 6-day delivery. Finally, the bill mandates a Postal Regulatory Commission report to evaluate the postal expenses attributable to market-dominant products, as compared to competitive products. Many of the provisions in this legislation, most notably strategies to address the unfairly high retiree health care liability, the establishment of revenue-generating governmental partnerships, performance accountability and maintenance of 6-day delivery have been longstanding priorities of NAPS and were promoted during the NAPS' recent virtual Legislative Training Seminar and subsequent ZOOM living room lobbying with members of Congress. H.R. 3076 has also been referred to the House Ways and Means Committee, and the House Energy and Commerce Committee, because both of these committees have jurisdiction over the Medicare program.
As introduced, H.R. 3077 seeks to improve the mailability of election ballots and would authorize paid parental leave for postal employees. NAPS is pleased that Rep. Connolly intends to amend the legislation to include H.R. 1623, the Postal Supervisors and Managers Fairness Act, and a broad provision regarding the Merit System Protect Board, including the test of H.R. 1624, the Postal Employee Appeal Rights Amendment. NAPS also understands that Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) will propose an amendment to authorize the Postal Service to transport wine and spirits.
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