S.Amdt. 2022

1. Adds SEC. __. CITIZEN'S SERVICE PROTECTION ADVOCATES wherever appropriate

   Adds a section

   Inserted: SEC. __. CITIZEN'S SERVICE PROTECTION ADVOCATES.

   Inserted: (a) In General.--Chapter 4 of title 39, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

   Inserted: "Sec. 417. Citizen's service protection advocates

   Inserted: "(a) Appointment of Advocate.--

   Inserted: "(1) In general.--The chief executive of a State affected by the closure or consolidation of a rural post office or postal facility (as defined in section 404(f)) may appoint a citizen's service protection advocate to represent the interests of postal customers affected by the closure or consolidation.

   Inserted: "(2) Consultation.--In making an appointment under this subsection, the chief executive of a State shall consult with--

   Inserted: "(A) the mayor (or equivalent official) of any city affected by the closure or consolidation; and

   Inserted: "(B) the commissioner (or equivalent official) of any county, parish, or equivalent political subdivision affected by the closure or consolidation.

   Inserted: "(b) Notice.--The Postal Service shall transmit to the chief executive of a State notice of any determination by the Postal Service to close or consolidate a rural post office or postal facility that affects postal customers in the State.

   Inserted: "(c) Appeals.--

   Inserted: "(1) In general.--Notwithstanding section 404(d), a citizen's service protection advocate may appeal to the Postal Regulatory Commission a decision by the Postal Service to close or consolidate a rural post office or postal facility, if the citizen's service protection advocate finds that the closure or consolidation would result in a failure by the Postal Service to comply with the retail service standards established under section 204(b) of the 21st Century Postal Service Act of 2012.

   Inserted: "(2) Time for appeal.--An appeal under paragraph (1) shall be submitted to the Postal Regulatory Commission not later than 30 days after the date on which the Postal Service transmits the notice under subsection (b).

   Show 19 more inserted paragraphsShow less

   Inserted: "(3) Postal regulatory commission.--

   Inserted: "(A) Determination required.--Not later than 90 days after the date on which the Postal Regulatory Commission receives an appeal under paragraph (1), the Postal Regulatory Commission shall determine whether to grant or deny the appeal.

   Inserted: "(B) Effect of determination.--A determination by the Postal Regulatory Commission under subparagraph (A) shall be binding upon the Postal Service.

   Inserted: "(4) Prohibition on closure or consolidation during appeal.--Notwithstanding section 404(d), during the period beginning on the date on which a citizen's service protection advocate submits an appeal under paragraph (1) and ending on the date on which the Postal Regulatory Commission makes a determination under paragraph (3), the Postal Service may not close or consolidate the rural post office or postal facility that is the subject of the appeal, except as required for the immediate protection of health and safety.

   Inserted: "(d) Access to Information and Assistance.--

   Inserted: "(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), upon the request of any citizen's service protection advocate appointed under this section, the Postal Service shall provide to the citizen's service protection advocate--

   Inserted: "(A) access to any records, reports, audits, reviews, documents, papers, recommendations, or other materials of the Postal Service relating to the closure or consolidation of the relevant post office or postal facility; and

   Inserted: "(B) assistance in carrying out the duties of the citizen's service protection advocate.

   Inserted: "(2) Privacy protections.--The Postal Service may not provide to a citizen's service protection advocate any information, or compilation of information, that is a means of identification, as defined in section 1028(d)(7) of title 18, United States Code.

   Inserted: "(e) Communication and Consultation.--The Postal Service shall--

   Inserted: "(1) provide for regular and efficient communication between a citizen's service protection advocate and the officer or employee of the Postal Service responsible for the closure or consolidation of the relevant post office or postal facility; and

   Inserted: "(2) consult with the citizen's service protection advocate in developing and implementing service changes that affect postal customers affected by the closure or consolidation of the relevant post office or postal facility.

   Inserted: "(f) Termination of Service.--An individual may not serve as a citizen's service protection advocate with respect to the closure or consolidation of a rural post office or postal facility after the later of--

   Inserted: "(1) the date on which the Postal Service determines not to close or consolidate the rural post office or postal facility;

   Inserted: "(2) the date on which the Postal Regulatory Commission makes a determination under subsection (c)(3); and

   Inserted: "(3) if a citizen's service protection advocate does not submit an appeal under subsection (c), the date on which the Postal Service determines to close or consolidate the rural post office or postal facility; and".

   Inserted: (b) Table of Sections.--The table of sections for chapter 4 of title 39, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

   Inserted: "417. Citizen's service protection advocate.".

   Inserted: (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the date on which the Postal Service establishes retail service standards under section 204(b).

   The amendment doesn't say where this goes; the clerk decides.

   Original wording

   At the appropriate place, insert the following:

Read automatically from the Congressional Record. Check the original before relying on it.

As printed