Government affairs

The House and Senate were in session this week with Appropriations and Budget season beginning to kickoff. Both chambers held hearings to discuss funding levels for the upcoming fiscal year (FY) 2020 while the Senate also considered a series of nominations from the White House.

Senate Activity

In an 11-9 party-line vote on March 28, the Senate Budget Committee advanced a budget resolution for FY20. The resolution reflects calls from the White House for steep non-defense spending cuts, capping it at $542 billion, down from the current level of $597 billion. The resolution would also cap defense spending at $576 billion, down from the current level of $647 billion, but includes a measure that would allow defense spending to rise to $750 billion (the level requested by the White House). Of note, the resolution instructs non-defense committees to cut $15 billion from the programs under their jurisdiction over the next five years, which could mean drastic changes to the Federal Employees Retirement System. It is important recognize though, that like the White House budget request, this resolution is merely a proposal and the measures included are unlikely to become law. Read more here.

Next week on April 2, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs will hold a hearing on the nominations of Ron A. Bloom of NY and Roman Martinez IV of FL to serve on the Postal Board of Governors. Bloom is nominated for the remainder of a six-year term expiring Dec 8, 2020; Martinez is nominated for the remainder of a six-year term expiring Dec 8, 2024.

The Senate will also consider H.R. 268, a House-passed disaster relief funding bill and an amendment put forward by Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) to provide additional funding for states impacted by natural disasters over the last two years.

House Activity

On March 28, House Budget Committee Chairman John Yarmuth (D-KY) announced that his office has a budget resolution for FY20 of their own but is unlikely to release it or mark it up as he believes it would not be able to advance from the House floor. As with the Senate resolution, these are starting places for lawmakers to assert their priorities before proceeding to discussions with members from the other party and the other chamber.

House committees held a series of hearings this week to discuss the White House’s budget request with dozens of Administration officials testifying before subcommittees to explain the requested budget cuts and increases. The budget proposal would increase defense spending from $716 billion to $750 billion during FY2020 while cutting non-defense spending from $597 billion to $543 billion and seeks to slash $845 billion from Medicare and $1.5 trillion from Medicaid over 10 years.

Next week, the Budget committee is expected to take up a two-year proposal to raise caps on defense and domestic spending, which would otherwise severely restrict funding levels. The appropriations process will continue as well with further subcommittee hearings to discuss the request, including testimony from the Secretary of the Department of Labor, Alex Acosta, on Wednesday, April 3. House Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) is hoping to start FY20 markups as early as late April.

The House will also consider the Violence Against Women (VAWA) Reauthorization Act of 2019 (H.R. 1585), with the legislation expected to pass before continuing to the Senate.

Administration Activity

On March 28, and after six weeks of waiting, the President finally signed an executive order authorizing a 1.9 percent pay increase for federal employees that will be retroactive to the first pay period of the year, which began January 6. These pay raises do not apply to letter carriers, however, as postal employees bargain over pay.

Newly designed fact sheets

Be sure to check out NALC’s Government Affairs webpage to find the newly designed fact sheets that are helping your fellow letter carrier activists educate their members of Congress on our issues. They include fact sheets on About NALC and its Members, Prefunding, Postal Reform, and NALC’s priority resolutions. These may be found on the NALC Government Affairs page under Legislative Activities, and then Fact Sheets.

Resolutions

House Resolution 23 (H. Res. 23) – Door Delivery
Status: Introduced by Reps. Susan Davis (D-CA) and Peter King (R-NY)
Co-sponsors: 124 (99 Democrats – 25 Republicans)

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States Postal Service should take all appropriate measures to ensure the continuation of door delivery for all business and residential customers.

House Resolution 33 (H. Res. 33) – Anti-privatization
Status: Introduced by Reps. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) and Rodney Davis (R-IL)
Co-sponsors: 215 (184 Democrats – 31 Republicans)

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should take all appropriate measures to ensure that the United States Postal Service remains an independent establishment of the Federal Government and is not subject to privatization.

House Resolution 54 (H. Res. 54) – Six-day Delivery
Status: Introduced by Reps. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Sam Graves (R-MO)
Co-sponsors: 187 (141 Democrats – 46 Republicans)

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States Postal Service should take all appropriate measures to ensure the continuation of its six-day mail delivery service.

House Resolution 60 (H. Res. 60) – Service Standards
Status: Introduced by Rep. David McKinley (R-WV) and Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)
Co-sponsors: 124 (105 Democrats – 19 Republicans)

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States Postal Service should take all appropriate measures to restore service standards in effect as of July 1, 2012.

Senate Resolution 99 (S. Res. 99) – Anti-privatization
Status: Introduced by Sens. Gary Peters and Jerry Moran (R-KS)
Co-sponsors: 29 (21 Democrats – 6 Republicans – 2 Independents)
Expressing the sense of the Senate that Congress should take all appropriate measures to ensure that the United States Postal Service remains an independent establishment of the Federal Government and is not subject to privatization in whole or in part.