Government affairs

The Senate approved by a voice vote the nominations of Dan Tangherlini and Derek Kan to serve on the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors (BOG).

Read NALC’s fact sheet to learn more about H.R. 4268.

In a 53-47 vote, the Senate confirmed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. 

President Biden signed the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 (H.R. 3076) into law.

A coalition of labor leaders released the following statement today ahead of the Senate’s vote to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court.

“America’s letter carriers applaud the 79 members of the U.S. Senate who voted to pass the Postal Reform Act last night, following its adoption by the House of Representatives with a massive bipartisan majority in February."

Today, in a 79-19 vote, the Senate passed the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 (H.R. 3076). 

This week, the Senate began consideration of the Postal Service Reform Act (H.R. 3076).

Call 844-959-1425 and ask your senators to vote "YES" on H.R. 3076.

On Feb. 9, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) voted 8-6 and the Senate Budget Committee voted 15-6 to advance the nominations of Shalanda Young and Nani Coloretti to lead the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Today, in a 342-92 vote the House of Representatives passed the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 (H.R. 3076).

This updated explanation of the health care provisions of H.R. 3076 reflects modest changes made to the original bill introduced in 2021.

On Feb. 7, the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment released a report that includes more than 60 recommendations to promote workers’ rights.

The Postal Service Reform Act (H.R. 3076) is scheduled for a House vote next week.

On Jan. 12, the Masks for All Act of 2022 (H.R. 6385/S. 3486), which would provide, manufacture and distribute high-quality N95 masks for every individual in the United States, was introduced in Congress.

In early January, the Biden Administration announced that it would partner with the Postal Service to mail free, at-home rapid Covid-19 tests to Americans.

On Jan. 12, the Postal Service Board of Governors (BOG) unanimously selected Roman Martinez, a Republican, to serve as chairman and Anton Hajjar, a Democrat, as vice chairman.

NALC, the AFL-CIO and local affiliates are contacting senators to ask them to sideline the filibuster in order to protect voting rights.

On Jan. 13, the Supreme Court blocked the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) on COVID-19 vaccine and testing.

The Senate unanimously confirmed Michael Kubayanda to serve as a Commissioner of the Postal Regulatory Commission.

Thursday night, Congress passed a continuing resolution that will fund the government until Feb. 18.

Today, President Biden nominated Dan Tangherlini and Derek Kan to serve on the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors (BOG).

On Friday, the House passed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R. 3684), a $1.2 trillion bill that invests in roads, bridges, airports, transit, rail, broadband, electric charging stations, power grid modernization and clean drinking water.

House Democratic Leadership released the new framework for the Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376), a sweeping social spending and tax package.

House members voted 219-206 on a rule (H. Res. 716) that cleared a bill that passed in the Senate last week (S. 1301) to raise the debt limit with an extension that expires on Dec. 3.

President Biden announced his intent to renominate Michael Kubayanda to serve as a Commissioner of the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC). 

The House and the Senate passed a continuing resolution yesterday to fund the government until December 3.

NALC strongly supports the $7 billion in federal funding for the electrification of the Postal Service vehicle fleet that is included in the reconciliation package.

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced the Freedom to Vote Act (S. 2747), a bill to expand voting rights and reduce the influence of big money in politics.

On Sept. 9, President Biden issued two executive orders regarding COVID-19 vaccines.

Today, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform (COR) held a markup to consider their committee’s allocations for the recently passed Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 (S. Con. Res. 14). 

In a party-line vote of 220-212, the House passed the budget resolution yesterday.

If you are in the DMV area, you are invited to attend the Fighting for our Vote Rally this Saturday, August 21 from 1-4 p.m. in Lincoln Park in Washington, DC.

Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL) introduced the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (H.R. 4) today.

In a party-line vote of 50-49, the Senate passed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 budget resolution.

NALC members are encouraged to participate in AFL-CIO’s week of action for the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act on July 17-25.

The first payments of the newly expanded Child Tax Credit will be distributed to millions of American families beginning on July 15.

Reps. Derek Kilmer (D-WA) and Tom Cole (R-OK) reintroduced the Federal Retirement Fairness Act (H.R. 4268) today.

The Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill advanced out of the House Committee on Appropriations today with a vote of 33-24 after a committee markup.

The House Committee on Oversight and Reform held a hearing on the Comprehensive Paid Leave for Federal Employees Act (H.R. 564).

In comments filed with the Postal Service on June 22 as part of the Postal Regulatory Commission’s review of the USPS’s proposed changes in service standards for First Class Mail and Periodicals, NALC argued against slowing the delivery of such mail.

The Senate approved the nomination of Kiran Ahuja to serve as the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

Information about the FEHBP and Medicare provisions included in these bills. 

The Biden Administration released its fiscal year 2022 budget proposal on May 28.

The Senate approved the nomination of Anton Hajjar to serve on the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors (BOG).

The House and Senate now have identical, bipartisan bills (H.R. 3076 and S. 1720) aimed at bringing financial stability to the Postal Service.

Senate Committee Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (HSGAC) Chairman Gary Peters (D-MI) and Ranking Member Rob Portman (R-OH) introduced the bipartisan Postal Service Reform Act of 2021.

Reps. Jackie Speier (D-CA), Dan Newhouse (R-WA) and 17 other bipartisan co-sponsors introduced the USPS Shipping Equity Act (H.R. 3287). 

The Postal Service Reform Act of 2021 (H.R. 3076), a bipartisan bill that aims to provide financial and operational stability to the Postal Service, was introduced by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Ranking Member James Comer (R-KY) on May 11.

The Senate approved the nominations of Amber McReynolds and Ronald Stroman to serve on the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors (BOG) today. 

The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs (HSGAC) advanced the nominations of Anton Hajjar, Amber McReynolds and Ronald Stroman to the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors (BOG) and Kiran Ahuja to be Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

The White House released the American Families Plan, a $1 trillion plan that seeks to increase access to education, provide paid family and medical leave, make health care and childcare more affordable and more.

Today, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs held a hearing to consider the nominations of Anton Hajjar, Amber McReynolds and Ronald Stroman to the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors (BOG), and the nomination of Kiran Ahuja to be Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) introduced The Comprehensive Paid Leave for Federal Employees Act (S. 1158) in the Senate today.

The White House released its Fiscal Year 2022 (FY 2022) budget outline today.

Today, the White House released The American Jobs Plan, a $2 trillion, eight-year plan to invest in the nation’s infrastructure.

Tonight, the House of Representatives passed the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act (H.R. 842), which seeks to restore protections that give workers the right to organize and bargain for better wages, benefits and working conditions.

The Postal Vehicle Modernization Act (H.R. 1636), which calls on Congress to authorize funding for new electric or zero-emission vehicles for the United States Postal Service fleet, has been reintroduced in the 117^th Congress.

Today the Senate passed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (H.R. 1319) by a vote of 50-49 following its passage last week in the House of Representatives.

This weekend, the House of Representatives passed the “American Rescue Plan Act,” (H.R. 1319) by a vote of 219-212, with two Democrats --Reps. Jared Golden (ME) and Kurt Schraeder (OR) -- and all Republicans opposing.

House and Senate lawmakers have reintroduced legislation – Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act (H.R. 842 and S. 420) that would restore protections under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) giving workers the right to organize and bargain for better wages, benefits and working conditions.

Today, the White House issued a press release announcing its plans to nominate Amber McReynolds, Ron Stroman and Anton Hajjaar to the Postal Board of Governors.

Today, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform (COR) held a hearing to discuss postal reform efforts in the 117th Congress. 

On Tuesday, the House passed H.R. 813, designating the postal facility located at 1050 Sunset Road Southwest in Albuquerque, NM, as the “Jose Hernandez Post Office Building.”

Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) reintroduced the Easy Access to Mail Act (H.R. 1102) today, which seeks to limit the use of centralized delivery.

House Resolution 109 (H. Res. 109), which calls on Congress to “take all appropriate measures to ensure the continuation of door delivery for all businesses and residential customers,” has been reintroduced in the 117th Congress.

Today, Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) introduced House Resolution 108 (H.Res. 108), which calls on Congress to recognize Postal Service employees as front-line essential workers who must be prioritized for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

Every Congress, the House and Senate organize their structure, rules, and committee assignments. While there are numerous Committees, the House Oversight and Reform Committee (COR) and Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee (HSGAC) are the primary Committees with jurisdiction over federal employees and the Postal Service.

This week, the USPS Fairness Act was reintroduced in the House (H.R. 695) and Senate (S. 145). Both bills would repeal the mandate that the Postal Service “pre-fund” decades’ worth of health benefits for its future retirees, enacted through the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA) of 2006.

Today, Reps. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) and Rodney Davis (R-IL) reintroduced their resolution calling on the House to 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.”

Reps. David McKinley (R-WV) and Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) have reintroduced House Resolution 119 (H. Res. 119), expressing the sense of Congress that the Postal Service should take all appropriate measures to restore the service standards that were in effect as of July 1, 2012.

Reps. Sam Graves (R-MO) and Gerry Connolly (D-VA) have reintroduced their resolution to preserve six-day mail delivery, House Resolution 114 (H. Res. 114).

Two Senate seats previously held by Republicans Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) and David Perdue (R-GA) will change hands in the 117^th Congress. 

Reps. Rodney Davis (R-IL) and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) have reintroduced the Social Security Fairness Act of 2021 (H.R. 82), which would repeal the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) titles of the Social Security Act.

Today, the House of Representatives and Senate convened the 117th Congress in-person, following months of operating remotely and voting by proxy due to COVID-19.

Following months of failed negotiations between leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives and the White House, a fourth COVID-19 relief package was signed into law today as a part of the FY 2021 government spending.