Government affairs
Legislative Updates
Today, House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Rep. Pete King (R-NY) and Subcommittee on Government Operations Chairman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) introduced the Postal Preservation Act (H.R. 7015), which would provide a $25 billion emergency appropriation to the agency and require appropriate oversight of that funding by the Postal Service Inspector General.
The Inspector General’s office would receive $15 million to provide oversight on the funding, which the legislation stipulates must first be used for the purchasing of personal protective equipment (PPE) and additional cleaning and sanitizing of facilities and delivery vehicles during the pandemic.
H.R. 7015, which is identical to postal provisions contained in the House-passed HEROES Act (H.R. 6800, read more here) was introduced to keep pressure on lawmakers in the House and Senate as they negotiate the next relief package.
“Can you imagine our nation actually allowing the Postal Service to shut its doors?” said Chairwoman Maloney. “We can’t let that happen. This is a national emergency that Congress must address. The American people rely on the Postal Service to deliver crucial goods and services every day to every household across America, including more than a billion life-saving medications annually and millions of economic stimulus checks and unemployment benefits.”
“The United States Postal Service is too important for Congress to let fail,” said Rep. King. “The services it provides are invaluable and it serves as a gateway to opportunity for so many Americans. I am prepared fight in these coming months to ensure it gets all the assistance it needs.”
“Throughout this crisis, the US Postal Service has provided consistent mail and package delivery to all of us,” said Chairman Connolly. “It has been a critical lifeline for the millions of Americans, particularly seniors and people living with disabilities, who would otherwise be forced to leave their homes for necessities like prescription medications and household essentials. USPS is an American institution that we have never needed more than we do today, and we would all feel the impact of its collapse. We must save the Post Office.”
Reps. Maloney, King, and Connolly are three of the four founding members of the newly-formed Postal Preservation Caucus.
NALC is appreciative of the continued support from these members and for the introduction of this legislation as we all work to bring financial stability to the Postal Service to endure the ongoing pandemic. We continue to encourage letter carriers to contact their members of Congress in both chambers to ask them to fund the Postal Service in the next relief package. Click here to send your member of Congress a message if you have not already.
