Government affairs

Lawmakers are back home in their respective districts and states until October 15. When they return they have a deadline of November 21 to reach a deal to fund the government for the remainder of this fiscal year. With the House focused on its impeachment inquiry, the progression of legislative matters including government funding are uncertain.

Congressional Activity

The Department of Labor is planning to issue a new rule that would switch all workers and their families to electronic delivery of retirement planning information. This rule would impact all workers regardless of their access to the Internet, comfort with technology, or personal preferences. As a part of the Coalition for Paper Options, NALC is requesting letter carriers take a moment to send their Member of Congress a message asking them to block the enactment of this harmful rule. Workers should have a choice in how they receive retirement information and should be switched without their consent. You can follow this link to the Coalition for Paper Options to send your Member a quick message.

NALC has drafted a new fact sheet regarding the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), and it is available at the NALC Legislative Action Center (click here).

Administration Activity

On Wednesday, federal agencies became free to implement three executive orders signed by President Trump that will make it easier for agencies to fire federal workers and place strict limits on union activities after the U.S. Court of Appeals decided to a workforce request for reconsideration. While these orders did not apply to the Postal Service and its unions, NALC stands in support of our brothers and sisters of other federal employee unions. The precedent these union-busting executive orders set spell a grave threat to all labor unions and workers’ rights in our country. To that end, NALC stands in opposition to President Trump’s executive orders and his Administration’s attacks on workers.

NALC Priority Postal Bills

H.R. 2382 – USPS Fairness Act
Status: Introduced by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR)
Co-sponsors: 260 (219 Democrats – 41 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: 250 (201 Democrats – 49 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: 263 (223 Democrats – 40 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: 281 (214 Democrats – 67 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: 193 (168 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: 203 (154 Democrats – 49 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: 45 (34 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 210 (All Democrats) – 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.