On Wednesday, February 16, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) held a virtual roundtable conversation with representatives and leadership from New Hampshire's postal workers to discuss his support for the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022. This legislation, which passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support, would make urgently-needed reforms to ensure the health and longevity of the U.S. Postal Service.
Pappas was joined by Janice Kelble, NH Postal Workers Union; Shauna Houghton, NH Letter Carriers State President; Tom Dunn, NH Mail Handlers State Executive Board member, Local 301; and Dana Colletti, NH Postal Workers Union State President. They discussed the details of the legislation, and what these reforms would mean for Granite Staters who rely on the Postal Service. Rep. Pappas also expressed his thanks to the mail handlers, postal workers, and letter carriers who work incredibly hard, both before and throughout this pandemic, to keep the USPS running every day.
"The Postal Service is a bedrock institution that delivers for Americans each and every day," said Congressman Pappas. "This legislation strengthens the USPS for the future and ensures that Granite Staters will continue to get their mail and their prescriptions and packages on time, that our small businesses and economy are supported, and that everyone can stay connected. I'm pleased we passed this legislation in the House with overwhelming bipartisan support and hope the Senate will get this done as soon as possible. The American people understand that the Postal Service belongs to all of us, and we need to make sure that we're protecting it and strengthening it for the future."
The legislation requires Medicare integration for future retirees, eliminates the requirement to pre-fund retiree health benefits for 75 years in the future - something no private company or other federal entity is required to do, develops performance transparency measures, implements six-day integrated delivery, and allows USPS to offer non-postal services for state and local governments.
Key provisions of the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 include:
Medicare Integration: The Postal Service Reform Act of 2021 would require future Postal Service retirees, who have been paying into Medicare their entire careers, enrolling in Medicare. Currently, roughly a quarter of postal retirees do not enroll in Medicare even though they are eligible. This means the Postal Service is stuck paying far higher premiums than any other public or private sector employer. By more closely integrating Medicare, the Postal Service estimates it could save approximately $22.6 billion over 10 years.
Eliminating the Requirement to Prefund Retiree Health Benefits: The Postal Service Reform Act of 2021 would eliminate the requirement that the Postal Service pre-fund retiree health benefits for all current and retired employees for 75 years in the future. No private company or other federal government entity is required to comply with such a burdensome requirement. The Postal Service estimates this provision would drastically reduce its prefunding liability and allow it to save roughly $27 billion over 10 years.
Service Performance Transparency: The Postal Service Reform Act of 2021 would require the Postal Service to develop a public-facing, online dashboard with national and local level service performance data updated each week to provide additional transparency and promote compliance with on-time delivery of mail.
Six-Day Integrated Delivery: The Postal Service Reform Act of 2021 would require the Postal Service to deliver both mail and packages at least six days per week across an integrated network.
Non-Postal Services: The Postal Service Reform Act of 2021 would allow the Postal Service to enter into agreements with State, local, and tribal governments to provide non-commercial 2 property and services that provide enhanced value, do not detract from core postal services, and provide a reasonable contribution to Postal Service institutional costs.
Background:
The U.S. Postal Service funds the universal mail service it provides to nearly 159 million delivery points solely through the sale of postage. USPS adds one million new delivery points every year.
In August 2020, Pappas voted to pass H.R. 8015, the Delivering for America Act, which would prohibit the Postal Service from implementing or approving any changes to the operations or service levels in effect on January 1, 2020, that would impede prompt, reliable, and efficient service.
Congressman Pappas led 31 Members of Congress in calling on Health and Human Services Secretary Azar to publicly defend USPS, urging him to "convey to the President and the public the significant negative impact that a reduction in USPS service would have on our health care system."
He also called on the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General to investigate a media report that the USPS sold a mail sorting machine at the facility on Goffs Falls Road in Manchester for scrap parts to a man from Pennsylvania. The report came as the Postmaster-General has spent months systematically attacking the Postal Service and undermining services that veterans, seniors, and voters rely on every day.
Original source can be found here.
