Government affairs

Today, Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) along with Reps. Steve Russell (R-OK), Dennis Ross (R-FL), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Elijah Cummings (D-MD), and Stephen Lynch (D-MA), introduced the Postal Reform Act of 2018 (H.R. 6076), intended to be a replacement for the Postal Reform Act of 2017 (H.R. 756).

Beyond a few changes to dates and an insertion of language that would notify Members of Congress no later than 10 days ahead of a closure or consolidation of postal facilities or reduction of service, the bill is effectively indistinguishable from the committee-passed H.R. 756, which stalled for a number of reasons including the resignation of its original author, former Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT). The bill was reintroduced as a means for the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee (OGR) to reclaim the measure following committee leadership changes and to work parallel with Postal Task Force recommendations.

NALC retains concerns that it did with H.R. 756, and hopes the committee process will address flaws in H.R. 6076. The bill must contain additional Medicare protections including an exemption for current Medicare-eligible retirees who can’t use Part B services because of where they live or because of other coverage; and additional assistance to others who would face an extreme financial hardship with a requirement to enroll in Part B. Additionally, it must remove the unacceptable and unnecessary provisions on door delivery that would inflexibly prevent any new business and residential addresses from receiving door delivery. These provisions also would require the USPS to identify addresses that currently have door delivery but could be moved to some other delivery method, mandatorily for businesses and voluntarily for residences.

Much like H.R. 756 was, H.R. 6076 has been referred to OGR, and in addition to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce (which would need to weigh in on the measure’s Medicare Part D provisions) and by the House Ways and Means Committee (which would need to weigh in on the bill’s Medicare Parts A and B language).

NALC will monitor the measure’s progression as well as any changes that come as a result of Postal Task Force recommendations.