Winning Our Legislative Battles and Safeguarding Our Future ‘Step by Step'

Winning Our Legislative Battles and Safeguarding Our Future ‘Step by Step’
By Bob Levi
NAPS Director of Legislative & Political Affairs

The outcomes from November’s congressional and presidential elections compel EAS postal employees and retirees to be on the frontlines of the effort to protect hard-earned postal benefits; safeguard a universal, governmental postal operation; and secure fairness in consultations with the Postal Service. The 2025 Legislative Training Seminar (LTS), NAPS’ hallmark legislative event, will equip attendees with the knowledge and tools to be effective and successful legislative advocates on behalf of the approximately 48,000 active and retired postal supervisors, managers and postmasters NAPS represents. Indeed, it is an immense responsibility and special honor to be an LTS delegate.

The three-day legislative conference enables participants to engage with members of Congress and congressional staff to help influence the trajectory of NAPS’ legislative priorities. Whether you are an LTS veteran or a first-timer, you will benefit from the educational, entertaining, enriching and engaging program. Key legislators, congressional staff and policymakers will prepare LTS delegates to deliver NAPS’ message not only on Capitol Hill, but also in congressional districts for the year to come.

In 2025, these priorities include:

  • Prevent passage of budget bills that would reduce and/or eliminate the hard-earned health and retirement benefits of EAS postal employees.
  • Stop proposals to privatize the Postal Service or re- duce mail services the American public expects and deserves.
  • Achieve a fair consultative process over EAS pay and benefits by streamlining the deliberative timeline and pro- viding for a final, independent expert decision.
  • Attain due-process rights for all EAS employees by permitting those facing an adverse personnel action to ap- peal the decision to the Merit Systems Protection Board.
  • Get COLA equity for FERS retirees.
  • Promote enactment of legislation to ensure the sanctity of the mail stream and safety of postal employees.
  • Ensure appropriate and comprehensive oversight of Postal Service operations and finances.
  • Confirm qualified nominees to the Postal Board of Governors who value the historic mission of the agency to provide universal, affordable and accessible mail service

Note that repeal of the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) no longer is among our legislative priorities. That battle was won with the stroke of President Biden’s pen on Jan. 5. NAPS anticipates a highly contentious legislative session as President Trump and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) push for significant government spending cuts and Congress seeks revenue to pay for enhanced border security and offsets for tax reductions. Once again, postal employees and retirees will find them- selves in the budget-cutting crosshairs. Therefore, it is important for NAPS members—activists and soon-to-be activists—to climb the steps of the Capitol to educate members of the Senate and House of the importance of protecting postal employee benefits, resisting postal privatization rhetoric and bills harmful to EAS postal employees and passing NAPS-promoted legislation that enhances the Postal Service and its EAS-level employees.

LTS provides the most effective means for supervisors, managers and postmasters to deliver their message directly to their elected members of Congress. Only by personally engaging senators and representatives can we hold them accountable on Election Day. This accountability is based on their support of NAPS’ legislative agenda.

LTS will arrive in the nation’s capital amid the highly charged budget process where our benefits very well may be on the chopping block. The stakes could not be higher.

So, it is time for NAPS members to once again step up to the plate at the Capitol and accept their responsibility to effect meaningful change for their fellow EAS employees and the Postal Service.