Government affairs

Today, in a 342-92 vote the House of Representatives passed the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 (H.R. 3076). NALC President Fredric Rolando called the passage “a huge victory for the American people, who rely on the Postal Service for affordable and high-quality universal service.”

The strongly bipartisan bill includes key measures to strengthen the Postal Service, including provisions that eliminate the mandate on the Postal Service to pre-fund its retiree health care benefits decades in advance and that codify the requirement to provide six-day mail delivery. It also includes provisions to reduce postal health care costs by maximizing participation in Medicare on a prospective basis.

The legislation, which was drafted by Committee on Oversight and Reform (COR) Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Ranking Member James Comer (R-KY), COR Subcommittee Chairman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Committee on Education and Labor Ranking Member and COR member Virginia Foxx (R-NC), reflects a broad bipartisan consensus that was 12 years in the making and that has the support of the four postal unions, the mailing industry and Postal Service management.

“NALC commends Chairwoman Maloney and Ranking Member Comer for their bipartisan leadership to get this momentous bill passed in the House,” NALC President Rolando said. “We also appreciate every House member who supported this bill by voting “yes.”

“With House passage, we are one step closer to dramatically improving the financial stability of the Postal Service. We call on the Senate to debate and pass H.R. 3076 as soon as possible—and then to send it to President Biden for his signature.

“I want to congratulate and thank all the NALC members who lobbied their members of Congress to win House passage and urge them to help finish the job by contacting their senators to urge them to vote for H.R. 3076.”