December 21, 2021

Postal Reform Act Awaits a Vote to Strengthen the Post Office

As postal workers are working diligently to deliver holiday packages on time, the American Postal Workers Union is focused on a key piece of legislation – the Postal Reform Act, H.R. 3076 in the House and S. 1720 in the Senate. A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced the legislation seven months ago but so far it has not been brought up for a vote in either chamber.

The legislation would shore up the Postal Service’s finances by repealing the Congressional mandate that USPS spend billions of dollars every year to prefund retiree health care and pensions. If this legislation is enacted into law, the Postal Service could instead pay these costs on a yearly basis, as other government agencies and corporations do.

The bill would also allow the postal service to offer new services, including postal banking, that would bring in new revenue and meet local needs.

“Older Americans rely on the Post Office to deliver their prescription drugs and other critical mail,” said Joseph Peters, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance.

“The activism of thousands of Alliance members who attended demonstrations and wrote to their members of Congress helped build support for the Postal Reform Act earlier this year. Now we need Congress to bring it up for a vote and get it to President Biden’s desk.”