Government affairs

Congress was busy working-on and passing an interim legislative package meant to replenish funding already approved in the previous emergency stimulus bill this week and today it was signed into law. The $483 billion Covid-19 aid bill represented the first time in nearly a month that lawmakers gathered in Washington to vote in-person as it appeared unlikely that passing the bill via ‘unanimous consent’ would prove successful, at least in the House, due in part to the prior objections of Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) who ultimately did vote against it along with four other members.

Work is already underway on another emergency package and according to Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), it may include funds for infrastructure, housing, election security, hazard pay for essential workers (including doctors, nurses, and grocery store clerks), and most important to letter carriers, emergency funding for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). NALC continues to urge Congress that financial support for USPS must be included and is necessary for the federal government’s most popular agency to survive.

NALC activity

On Thursday, it was reported (viewable here) that the Treasury Department is insisting on terms and conditions including approval of all collective bargaining agreements, setting pricing policy, and deciding senior executive appointments in return for the Postal Service’s access to the $10 billion line of credit allocated in the second emergency relief package. On Friday, the President remarked that, “the Postal Service is a joke… the post office should raise the price of a package by approximately four times.” Hours later, the President walked back that statement in a tweet saying, “I will never let our Post Office fail. It has been mismanaged for years, especially since the advent of the internet and modern-day technology. The people that work there are great, and we’re going to keep them happy, healthy, and well.”

NALC President Fred Rolando issued a statement (viewable here) highlighting the need for the U.S. Postal Service at this time, its importance to Americans across our country, and reaffirming to the Treasury Department that the pursuit of political and ideological agendas instead of focusing on the crisis at hand will be resisted.  Once we overcome the current crisis, there will be plenty of time to continue our focus on long-term postal reform.

While NALC works behind the scenes with Congressional leadership on securing financial support for USPS and the postal workforce, letter carriers need to reach out to Representatives and Senators using this link to urge the same. NALC’s Legislative Action Center makes it easy for you to contact your lawmakers and urge them to support us.

Congressional activity

On Friday, the President signed the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (H.R. 266) into law following Senate passage on Tuesday and House passage on Thursday. The $483 billion bipartisan interim package, meant to replenish funds to programs previously funded in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (H.R. 748), contains $321.3 billion in additional appropriations to support the Paycheck Protection Program, $60 billion for separate disaster loans to small businesses; $75 billion for hospitals; and $25 billion for further testing for the Coronavirus. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) blocked the state and local aid sought by Democrats from being included as he instead supports the idea that local governments who are struggling to fund pension costs and respond to the pandemic, among other problems, should declare bankruptcy. Read more here.

Following the passage of the CARES Act last month, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) announced on April 2 the creation of a Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis within the House Oversight and Reform Committee to investigate the use of $2.2 trillion in taxpayer funds for relief and stimulus spending, allegations of price gouging and profiteering, federal programs to expand virus testing and develop vaccines, and disparate effects of the virus on communities in the US, among other issues. On Thursday, the House approved the creation of the committee 212-182, which will be chaired by House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (D-SC) and include as many as 12 appointed members. Approval of the special oversight committee follows the President’s removal of now-former Acting Inspector General of the Department of Defense who had been selected in late March by the head of a council of inspectors general to chair the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee.

2020 election activity

2020 primaries are being delayed and in-person voting is being cancelled due to the Covid-19 crisis. Many states are opting to expand absentee and vote-at-home measures so voters and poll workers may remain safe during this election season.

To find the most accurate and up to date information specific to your state elections, you can visit your state’s secretary of state webpage (ex: Ohio) and look for “elections” or if your state does not have a secretary of state, search for the office of elections (example: Hawaii). You can also visit the National Conference of State Legislatures webpage on state primary dates, which is tracking all date changes.

NALC Priority Bills/Resolutions

H.R. 2382/S. 2965 – USPS Fairness Act
Status: Passed House of Representatives, introduced in Senate by Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT)
Co-sponsors: 5 Senate (3 Democrats – 2 Republicans)
House vote: 309 Yea (222 Democrats – 87 Republicans) – 106 Nays (105 Republicans – 1 Independent)

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: 261 (207 Democrats – 54 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: 267 (226 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: 292 (217 Democrats – 75 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: 206 (180 Democrats – 26 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: 54 (44 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.

H.R. 2478 – Fed Retirement Fairness Act
Status: Introduced by Reps. Derek Kilmer (D-WA) and Tom Cole (R-OK)
Co-sponsors: 57 (44 Democrats – 13 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: Passed House of Representatives, introduced in Senate by Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)
Co-sponsors: Senate 40 (39 Democrat, 1 Independent, 0 Republican)
House vote: 224 Yea (219 Democrats – 5 Republicans) – 194 Nays (186 Republicans – 1 Independent)

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