Passage of Postal Service Reform Act Makes Critical Changes to Address USPS’ Finances
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate on Tuesday evening passed the bipartisan Postal Service Reform Act (H.R. 3076) by a vote of 79-19. The U.S. House passed the bill in February. The bill will now go to President Joe Biden for his signature. This legislation ends the requirement that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) pre-fund retirees’ health benefits decades into the future, provides for Medicare integration for future retirees, codifies six-day delivery, and will provide ongoing transparency into USPS operations. Susan Harley, managing director of Public Citizen’s Congress Watch division, released the following statement:
“This is a huge victory for Americans everywhere. Freeing the USPS from the strain on its finances caused by the ridiculous requirement that it pre-fund retiree health benefits will create much needed breathing room so it can better defend against arguments favoring service cuts or attempts at privatizing this essential public good.
“Ensuring the six-day delivery week is set into law and providing a dashboard into USPS’s provision of services will provide much needed certainty for Americans who depend on the mail for delivery of essential goods like medicines, benefits checks, and other critical items.”