November, 2019
A bill intended to repeal the USPS’s prefunding of retirement benefits and thereby make significant progress in solving its financial difficulties was introduced in the House on April 14, 2019. H.R. 2382, the USPS Fairness Act, is sponsored by Oregon Representative Pete DeFazio and has accumulated bipartisan support from 272 co-sponsors (as of November 4, 2019). The bill has been referred to the House Oversight and Reform Committee.
“The pre-funding mandate has not only prevented USPS from investing in services, technology and products, but it has also threatened core services that Oregonians rely on, including door-to-door delivery and six-day delivery. This legislation will not only end USPS’s financial crisis but will allow the agency to invest in critical improvements, all while maintaining its commitments to retirees’ health benefits,” Rep. DeFazio said in a recent press release.
Supporters of the bill include the American Postal Worker’s Union (APWU), the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), and the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE).
Opposition appears to come from the privately-owned carriers who are in competition with the USPS, according to Govtrack.us, a website that tracks federal legislation.
Under a 2018 rule change in the US House of Representatives, once a bill has 290 co-sponsors in the 435-member House, it must be put on a fast track to face a vote by the full chamber. With its current 272 co-sponsors, there is likelihood that the full House will be voting on this bill.