Concord, N.H. — Today, Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02), applauded House passage of H.R. 3076, the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022, bipartisan legislation to strengthen the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) for generations to come. The legislation advanced by the House of Representatives today addresses long-standing financial and structural challenges that have impacted postal workers and the postal system for more than a decade. This legislation helps to ensure the USPS can serve its essential role for communities across the country.
“United States Postal workers in New Hampshire and across the country have been hard at work during the COVID-19 pandemic to deliver critical prescription medications, checks, ballots, and other mail to our communities,” said Rep. Kuster. “But the USPS has been consistently underfunded, operating at a net loss and in survival mode for years. Today, Congress took action to bolster our nation’s postal system and stand up for our dedicated postal workers. The legislation advanced by the House takes measured steps to make the USPS solvent and ensure it is able to serve our communities and country for generations to come.”
Key measures in the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 include:
Medicare Integration: The Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 would require future Postal Service retirees, who have been paying into Medicare their entire careers, to enroll 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 2022 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 rule. 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 2022 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 2022 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 2022 would allow the Postal Service to enter into agreements with State, local, and tribal governments to provide non-commercial property and services that provide enhanced value, do not detract from core postal services, and provide a reasonable contribution to Postal Service institutional costs.
