Government affairs

Legislative Updates

Week in review (November 4-8)

While the House has been back home in their respective districts, the Senate remained in Washington this week to continue their work on fiscal year (FY) 2020 appropriations and, in the absence of agreement around another short-term funding deal past the current deadline of November 21, to advance nominees and judges regardless of the levels of bipartisan support they may or may not enjoy.

House Activity

With the House back home this past week, letter carriers have been focused on reaching out to the remaining members who are not currently cosponsors of the USPS Fairness Act (H.R. 2382). The bill has hit 272 cosponsors, which is incredibly impressive feat that we hope we can continue to build on until we get at least 300 members signed on to the bill. Repealing the pre-funding mandate is a strongly bipartisan effort, yet there are still members from both parties who are yet to support this legislation.

You can check the latest cosponsors by alphabetical order by clicking here and if your member is not a cosponsor, check out NALC’s pre-funding fact sheet for all the necessary background information before you reach out. If you need to look up who your member is, click here.

As it relates to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform Committee, there will be two pressing orders of business before the Committee continues work. First, the majority will need to elect a new Chair to succeed Elijah Cummings (D-MD), who passed away in October (link). Leadership elections are expected to take place on November 19. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), who is next in line for the gavel, will preside as Acting Chair. Two other candidates have formally announced their interest including, Reps. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) and Jackie Speier (D-CA). Following leadership selection, the Committee will need to name two new Democratic members to the Committee to replace Chairman Cummings and Rep. Katie Hill (D-CA), who recently resigned. Rep. Hill was selected as Vice-Chair of the Committee this Congress and the Committee is expected to name a new Vice Chair as well. NALC will keep members updated on Committee activity.

Senate Activity

On Friday, the Federal Postal Coalition, an alliance of thirty organizations representing over five million active and retired federal and postal employees (of which NALC is a member), sent a letter to the Senate urging them to cosponsor and champion the bipartisan “Middle Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act” (S. 684) and to urge a vote on the bill before the end of the year. This pro middle-class bill would repeal the 40 percent tax on high-cost health benefits and make health care more affordable. It currently has 62 bipartisan Senate cosponsors and its House companion bill was approved in July 2019 with an overwhelming vote of 419-6. You can read the letter here.

On Wednesday, in a 15-6 vote, the Senate Budget Committee advanced the Bipartisan Congressional Budget Reform Act (S. 2765), which would overhaul the current budget process by switching budget resolutions from one-year to two-year and establish a debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) target. That could then trigger an automatic reconciliation process to pass legislation to reduce the deficit in order to hit the target. This would be an almost automatic increase in the debt limit, in order to eliminate partisanship from such decision-making. The pathway toward Senate and House passage is difficult as much of the bill will need to be amended to garner enough votes. Read more here.

Appropriations Activity

With funding certain until November 21, the House and Senate continue work on a long-term funding deal for fiscal year 2020. A new CR is expected before Nov 21, which is likely to go into December, but possibly longer into February or even March. Congressional leadership continues discussions in the meantime, while the Senate is slowly advancing some long-term funding measures where they can.

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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