Government affairs

Legislative Updates

Week in review (October 28-November 1)

From the House beginning their impeachment inquiry and debating sanctions on Turkey to Senate passage of its first funding package for fiscal year 2020 and blocking an election reform bill in addition to a bill to protect the Affordable Care Act, it’s been busy week for the House and Senate. This week also brought our 2019 NALC Heroes to Capitol Hill to be congratulated personally by their Members of Congress and Senators.

NALC Heroes

The 2019 NALC Heroes were honored this week at a luncheon here in DC after which they took off to Capitol Hill to meet with their Representatives and Senators. Each of the six heroes were thanked and honored for their extraordinary service by their elected lawmakers in addition to shaking hands, snapping pictures, and sharing stories. You can read more about our NALC Heroes on the Hill here.

Senate Activity

On Thursday, the Senate passed H.R. 3055, a package of fiscal year (FY) 2020 appropriations bills which include Agriculture-FDA, Commerce-Justice-Science, Interior-Environment and Transportation-HUD spending. The $214 billion four-bill minibus marks the first series of bills approved by the whole Senate and an important milestone for finalizing spending levels. Disagreements over funding still plague the chamber, however, as shortly after that vote, the Senate failed to overcome an initial 60-vote threshold to start debate on a second fiscal package. Read more here.

House Activity

On Thursday, the House of Representatives voted to formalize the rules for how President Donald Trump’s impeachment inquiry will proceed. While the vote was primarily on party lines, it is important to note that the approved resolution merely dictates that the procedure will be open, transparent, and allow the general public the necessary insight into an historic occasion. Read more here.

The House will be out of session next week and back in their respective districts but will return to Capitol Hill and remain in session until the Thanksgiving break.

NALC Priority Postal Bills

H.R. 2382 – USPS Fairness Act
Status: Introduced by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR)
Co-sponsors: 272 (227 Democrats – 45 Republicans)

To repeal the requirement that the United States Postal Service prepay future retirement benefits.

House Resolution 23 (H. Res. 23) – Door Delivery
Status: Introduced by Reps. Susan Davis (D-CA) and Peter King (R-NY)
Co-sponsors: 254 (203 Democrats – 51 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: 265 (224 Democrats – 41 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: 286 (215 Democrats – 71 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: 200 (175 Democrats – 25 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: 53 (43 Democrats – 8 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.

Other Notable Bills

H.R. 141 – Social Security Fairness Act
Status: Introduced Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL)
Co-sponsors: 218 (165 Democrats – 53 Republicans)

Would repeal the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) titles of the Social Security Act.

H.R. 2478 – Fed Retirement Fairness Act
Status: Introduced by Reps. Derek Kilmer (D-WA) and Tom Cole (R-OK)
Co-sponsors: 47 (36 Democrats – 11 Republicans)

To provide certain federal employees the opportunity to make catch-up retirement contributions for time spent as temporary employees after Dec. 31, 1988, thus making such time creditable service under the Federal Employees Retirement System. Now applies to temporary postal employees, such as letter carriers who spent time as casuals, TEs, and CCAs.

H.R. 2474/S. 1306 – PRO Act
Status: Introduced by Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)
Co-sponsors: House 216 (214 Democrats – 2 Republicans) – Senate 40 (39 Democrat, 1 Independent, 0 Republican)

To increase protections for workers’ right to organize and bargain for higher wages, better benefits, and safer working conditions.

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