H.R. 5714 – The Postal Service Reform Act of 2016

Lobbyist Update

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee approved H.R. 5714 by voice vote on July 12, 2016. The Committee has requested that the Congressional Budget Office determine the cost to implement this legislation and to have that estimate available when the House reconvenes in September. This cost estimate will have a major impact on the legislation’s future consideration during the remainder of this 114th Congress.

The legislation seeks to put the United States Postal Service on a firmer financial foundation by refinancing USPS prefunding payments to the federal government for the retirement and health care benefits of postal employees; requiring that postal retirees use Medicare as their primary health carrier; allows USPS to raise first class mail rates by 1 cent to make up for the rate decrease in April; and gives the Postal Rate Commission the ability to adjust other postal rates.

H.R. 5714 authorizes the Postal Service’s to provide a new range of non-postal services to state, local and tribal governments and other federal agencies. It also creates a new position of Chief Innovation Officer to manage the Postal Service’s development and implementation of innovative postal and non-postal products and services. The current nine-member Board of Governors would be reduced to five, with authority to hire, hire and set salary for PMG & Deputy PMG.

Congress moves to protect small and rural post offices from closure

Lobbyist Update

By Harry Glenn

The House Appropriations Committee approved legislation June 17th that would prevent the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) from consolidating or closing small and rural post offices.

The provision is included in the Fiscal Year 2017 Financial Services Appropriations Bill, the legislation that includes funding and oversight for USPS. The full House will consider the legislation later this year.

This provision was included in similar legislation last year and was signed into law last December. Because it is a part of an annual appropriations bill, it must be approved by Congress one year at a time.

Congress May Move Postal Legislation This Summer

Lobbyist Update, Postal Reform

by Harry Glenn

As predicted at the May conference, the House and Senate will make another attempt at moving postal reform and modernization legislation through Congress as early as this summer. This makes it more important than ever that each AUSPL member makes contact with his or her member of Congress to share the association’s interest in this matter.

AUSPL President Morgan Wolaver, Board Member Gary Phillips and Director of Operations Mark Karolczyk visited Capitol Hill May 20 and 21 to meet with key members of Congress and legislative staff who will be drafting postal legislation.

AUSPL Leadership Meets With Key Legislators to Discuss Postal Reform in Washington, D.C.

Lobbyist Update

By Harry Glenn

The 113th Congress closed with a flurry of activity last month and members of your AUSPL board and staff were on the ground in our nation’s Capital to monitor legislative activity and meet the key players on postal reform legislation in the upcoming 114th Congress.

President of the Board Morgan Wolaver, Vice President Gary Phillips, and Director of Operations Mark Karolczyk were pleased to learn while they were there that the final omnibus appropriations bill to keep the federal government open and running through September 30, 2015 included a legislative provision stating, “That none of the funds provided in this Act shall be used to consolidate or close small rural and other small post offices.” The legislation also included a provision requiring the postal service to maintain six-day mail delivery throughout the same time period.

AUSPL Continues to Work for Postal Lessor-Friendly Options in Postal Reform Bills

Lobbyist Update

As we enter the October/November election phase of this year, Members of Congress have returned to their home districts to campaign for reelection. Prior to leaving Capitol Hill, they passed a stopgap spending measure to fund the government until they return after the election. Some additional items were included in the funding measure, although the measure avoids controversial provisions such as addressing the U.S. Postal Service’s plan to close 82 facilities nationwide in 2015.

There remains some possibility of postal reform passing in the lame duck session of Congress, after the elections. However, that is increasingly unlikely . . .

Meetings with Lawmakers Prove Effective at 2nd Annual AUSPL Hill Day in Washington, D.C.

Lobbyist Update

As we enter the October/November election phase of this year, Members of Congress have returned to their home districts to campaign for reelection. Prior to leaving Capitol Hill, they passed a stopgap spending measure to fund the government until they return after the election. Some additional items were included in the funding measure, although the measure avoids controversial provisions such as addressing the U.S. Postal Service’s plan to close 82 facilities nationwide in 2015.

There remains some possibility of postal reform passing in the lame duck session of Congress, after the elections. However, that is increasingly unlikely . . .