Veterans’ Pathway to Citizenship Act of 2021

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 912, I call up the bill (H.R. 3076) to provide stability to and enhance the services of the United States Postal Service, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials on H.R. 3076.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3076, the Postal Service Reform Act, which I introduced along with my distinguished ranking member, Mr. Comer.

I am proud to say that our bill, the bill before us today, is the result of a truly bipartisan effort from the beginning until our time on the floor today. We have jointly over 100 cosponsors almost evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans. And according to the nonpartisan CBO, this bill actually reduces Federal spending by $1.5 billion over the next 10 years.

The administration also supports the bill's efforts to ``strengthen the U.S. Postal Service.''

Madam Speaker, I include the President's statement in the Record.

Statement of Administration Policy

H.R. 3076--postal service reform act of 2022--rep. maloney, d-ny, and

102 cosponsors

The Administration supports House passage of H.R. 3076, the

Postal Service Reform Act of 2022. The United States Postal

Service and its dedicated employees provide an essential

public service and the critical public infrastructure for the

delivery of mail and packages to all Americans in every

corner of the country. The Postal Service provides crucial

support to millions of Americans, including our Nation's

veterans, including by ensuring their ability to vote and

providing access to prescription medications. Furthermore,

the Postal Service is an indispensable complement to and

foundational support for American businesses and communities.

The Administration supports efforts to strengthen the

United States Postal Service, including by providing Postal

employees with the dignity, fair pay, and employer-provided

benefits they have earned. The Administration is committed to

ensuring that the Postal Service delivers the highest

quality, most reliable service possible to every American.

This legislation would advance these goals in several ways.

Under current law, the Postal Service is required to

annually prepay future retirement health benefits, a

requirement not imposed on most other public or private

entities. Consistent with the President's longstanding

commitment, H.R. 3076 would repeal this requirement, which

unfairly and unnecessarily burdens the Postal Service.

H.R. 3076 would also establish a new, separate Postal

Service Health Benefits Program (PSHBP) within the existing

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), that

integrates Postal employees and annuitants into Medicare.

Making these changes would improve the Postal Service's long-

run financial outlook, without sacrificing quality,

affordable health coverage for Postal employees and retirees.

The Administration is mindful that these reforms would impose

administrative burdens on the Office of Personnel Management

and FEHBP, and further, that there could be potential

challenges with operationalizing Medicare integration and

with ensuring ongoing funding to support administration of

the new PSHPB. The Administration looks forward to working

with Congress to ensure that the goals of H.R. 3076 are met

in an efficient, equitable, and cost-effective manner, while

safeguarding the continued stability of the FEHBP.

Finally, H.R. 3076 would establish new transparency and

reporting requirements for the Postal Service and its

regulator, the Postal Regulatory Commission; require the

Postal Service to provide semi-annual reports to Congress on

the implementation of its strategic plan; provide for a

public dashboard using nationwide delivery metrics to track

delivery performance; and mandate a review of the costing of

competitive and non-competitive products. The Administration

supports these efforts to improve accountability, reliability

and transparency at the Postal Service.

The Postal Service is one of America's most vital and respected institutions. Originally established in Article I of the Constitution, for over two centuries it has provided service across our country to every single address whether you are in an urban skyscraper or rural family farm. It binds our Nation together in ways that no agency or organization does, and it adds over 1 million new delivery points every year.

This bill is an agreement to fix some of the serious problems that have been looming over the post office for years and threatening its financial stability.

It is an agreement that was reached with input from Democrats, Republicans, the postal unions, the postal professionals, and a wide array of private- and public-sector stakeholders. Over 200 different organizations have come out in support of this bill.

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a list of the organizations in support of this bill.

Organizations Supporting the Postal Service Reform Act

American Postal Workers Union; National Association of

Letter Carriers; National Rural Letter Carriers Association;

National Postal Mail Handlers Union; United States Postal

Service; National Active and Retired Federal Employees

Association; Federal-Postal Coalition; National Association

of Postal Supervisors; Package Coalition; Scholastic; Pitney

Bowes; CVS Health; eBay; International Paper; National Retail

Federation; OSM Worldwide; Pharmaceutical Care Management

Association; Pirate Ship; Keep Us Posted; Consumer Action.

Sylvamo; Coalition for a 21st Century Postal Service;

American Catalog Mailers Association; American Forest & Paper

Association; Association of National Advertisers; Envelope

Manufacturers Association; Greeting Card Association; Major

Mailers Association; MailersHub; National Association of

Presort Mailers; National Newspaper Association; National

Postal Policy Council; National Retail Federation; Letter in

Support of H.R. 3076, p. 2; News Media Alliance; Parcel

Shippers Association; Printing United Alliance; Retail

Industry Leaders Association; Saturation Mailers Coalition;

The Package Coalition Companies.

4-Imprint; Action Mail Presort; AIIM; All Island Media;

Amazon; Arcadia News; AT&T; Ballard Designs; Baudville Inc.;

BCC Software; Belk; Biely & Shoaf Co., Blue Kite Press;

BlueCrest; Bluegrass Integrated Communications; Bluestone

Perennials; BMS Direct; BMS Technologies; Business

Communication Solutions (BCS); C & G Newspaper.

Calyx Flowers, Inc.; Cathedral Corporation; Centron Data

Services; Christianbook, LLC; Clarity; CohereOne; Colony

Brands: Montgomery Ward, Seventh Avenue, Ginny's, Midnight

Velvet, Monroe & Main; The Swiss Colony, The Tender Filet;

The Wisconsin Cheeseman, Country Door, Ashro; Columbia

Sportswear; Community Papers of Michigan; Content Critical

Solutions; Continuum | Marketing Production Services;

Corporate Mailing Services; Corporate Mailing Services (CMS);

Data Media Associates; Datamatx; Datapage; DataProse;

Demographix Media.

Design Toscano; Direct Mail Solutions; DMM; DNI Corp.;

Domtar; Doxim; EasyPost; eBay; Etsy; Everything Marketing,

LLC; Fairytale Brownies; Fluence; FRONTGATE; FSSI; Gardener's

Supply Company; Garnet Hill; Genesee Valley Pennysavers;

Grayhair Software; Grizzly Industrial, Inc.; Hallmark Cards,

Inc.; Harbor Sweets.

Hatteras/FocusOne; HC3; Holt's Cigar Company; HSN; IC

Group; ICS Corp; Image Options; Impact; Improvements; IMS;

Indrio Brands: Hale Groves, Pittman & Davis, Sun Harvest

Citrus, StuartDM; InfoIMAGE; Inland Press; International

Bridge; International Paper; Japs Olson; Johnson & Quin; JSM;

Kathleen Schultz Marketing; King Solutions; K-Log; L & D Mail

Masters; L&M Mail & Courier; Las Vegas Presort; Legacy

Publishing Group; Lett Direct; LSC Communications; Mail

Maine; Mailbox Merchants; Mailing Services of Pittsburgh;

Mailing Technical Services, Inc.; Midland; Midwest Direct;

National Grange; Mountain Hard Wear; MPX; MRS Mail Express;

My Shipping Post; Northern Safety & Industrial Novica.

Nueske's Applewood Smoked Meats; OBRIEN; OSG; OSM

Worldwide; Package Shippers Association; Path2Response; PCI

Group; Pill Pack; Pirate Ship; Pitney Bowes; Pittsburgh

Mailing; Plow & Hearth; PMSI; Polaris Direct, LLC; Poshmark;

Potpourri Group: Cuddledown, NorthStyle, The Pyramid

Collection, Serengeti, In the Company of; Dogs, Magellan's,

Catalog Favorites, Young Explorers, Back in the Saddle,

Whatever Works; Country Store, Expressions, Nature's Jewelry,

The Stitchery, SafeFinds, TravelSmith; Chadwicks; prAna.

Premier Press; Presort Essentials, Inc.; Print Mail

Solutions; Print Mannschaft; Prolist; Publishers Clearing

House; Quad Inc.; Qurate Retail Group; QVC; R.R. Donnelley;

Raymond Geddes & Co., Inc.; Recreation Supply Company;

RevSpring; Scottish Gourmet USA LLC; Shades of Light; Shark

Publications, LLC; Shippo; Signature Graphics; Silver Star

Brands: Miles Kimball, Walter Drake, Easy Comforts,

Exposures, As We Change; NativeRemedies, Fox Valley Traders.

SiteForm, Inc.; Smart Market, Inc; Sorel; Specialty Print

Communications; Sporty's; Summit Direct; Letter in Support of

H.R. 3076, p. 5; Sylvamo; Target Direct; The Bradford

Exchange: Hammacher Schlemmer; The

Dingley Press; The Masters Touch; The PLD Group; The Vermont

Country Store; Think Patented; TLC Management, Inc.; United

Business Mail; United Mailing Services; United Postmasters

and Managers of America.

Up With Paper; Upper Valley Press; Ursa Major Associates;

USM Print Solutions; Value Direct, LLC; VariVerge; Whittier

Mailing Products Inc.; Wiland; Wisconsin Community Papers,

Town Money Saver; Wolverine Solutions Group; YRSTORE INC.;

Zappos; Zulil.

Madam Speaker, it is an agreement that contains two major reforms that together will save the post office over $50 billion in the coming decade.

First, the bill requires postal employees to enroll in Medicare when they are eligible and retire. All postal employees have already been paying into Medicare throughout their careers, but not all retirees could or would enroll when they reached 65. So the bill simply ensures that Postal Service employees can fully utilize the benefits that they have already paid for.

Second, the bill will eliminate the unfair requirement that the Postal Service prepay its retiree health benefits for 75 years into the future. This commonsense change will help reduce the burden on the retiree health benefit fund and help it remain solvent.

And the bill would provide Congress and the American people with a whole new level of transparency and accountability. It would establish an online, public-facing database that shows weekly service performance information by zip code.

The bill also requires the Postal Service to continue to deliver mail 6 days a week, using an integrated network, ensuring that Americans can receive their mail and medications on weekends.

The bill also enables our Postal Service to increase revenue through nonpostal services, such as selling permits to go fishing or hunting.

I would like to thank my friend, Ranking Member Comer, for his partnership on this bill and for helping to shepherd it to the floor. It has truly been a joint effort.

I would also like to thank Representatives Connolly, Lynch, Lawrence, and Foxx, for their work and dedication and devotion to getting this bill done.

I also would like to thank Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, Whip Clyburn, all of whom supported this and helped move it to the floor.

Let's do the right thing by all Americans and pass this bill, and send it to the Senate with a large support from this body.

I urge all of my colleagues to support this historic, bipartisan bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of

Representatives,

Washington, DC, February 8, 2022.

Hon. Carolyn Maloney,

Chairwoman, Committee on Oversight and Reform,

Washington, DC.

Dear Chairwoman Maloney: I write concerning H.R. 3076, the

``Postal Service Reform Act of 2021,'' which was additionally

referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

In recognition of the desire to expedite consideration of

H.R. 3076, the Committee agrees to waive formal consideration

of the bill as to provisions that fall within the Rule X

jurisdiction of the Committee. The Committee takes this

action with the mutual understanding that we do not waive any

jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or

similar legislation, and that the Committee will be

appropriately consulted and involved as this bill or similar

legislation moves forward so that we may address any

remaining issues within our jurisdiction. I also request that

you support my request to name members of the Committee to

any conference committee to consider such provisions.

Finally, I would appreciate the inclusion of this letter

into the Congressional Record during floor consideration of

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the majority leader of this Congress.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I would like to join my colleague, Mr. Comer, in thanking Representative Foxx for her unique contribution to this bill. She is co-chair of the Postal Caucus and played a vital role in moving this bill to the floor.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone), the distinguished chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee that has jurisdiction over this bill also, and I thank him for his leadership on this bill.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), the distinguished chair of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), the distinguished

chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Operations.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio), the distinguished chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to

the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), the distinguished vice chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch), the distinguished chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Lawrence), the distinguished co- chair of the Congressional Women's Caucus.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton), the distinguished chair of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

Madam Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman an additional 15 seconds.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi) the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Krishnamoorthi), the distinguished chair of the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Danny K. Davis), the distinguished chairman of the Worker and Family Support Subcommittee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), the distinguished chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development.

Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, as we have heard many times on the floor today, the Postal Service is vital to the United States. It is so important that the Founding Fathers put it in the Constitution, right there under Article I. They did this because they knew that the Postal Service would keep our people connected and would ensure that no matter where a person lives in this country, they can receive mail and other critical deliveries.

As the gentleman, the dean, from Alaska said, one stamp can take you from across the street in an urban area all the way to Alaska to some of the most remote areas. It is a critical, critical service.

Madam Speaker, this bipartisan bill will dramatically improve the financial situation of the Postal Service--and I would say the country that depends on it--and enable it to continue performing these essential services for the American people.

We all know firsthand the incredible job that the postal workers did during the COVID-19 crisis, risking their lives to deliver our mail every day. While many of us were quarantined and safe in our homes, they were out interacting with people every day providing the service. At times in my district, half the Postal Service was out sick with COVID because of the interaction that they did to save our lives.

Just as 9/11 was helped so dramatically by the police and fire, along with the healthcare workers, this COVID crisis was helped dramatically by the Postal Service. They are really the heroes and heroines of this crisis.

Madam Speaker, I share my thanks for the support of so many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who understand and support the necessity of these reforms. A vote for this bill is not only a vote for the post office, I would say it is a vote for yourself, for the services that we all receive, for America, for our institutions, and our values.

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a letter that lists all the Members who reached out to indicate that they would have cosponsored the bill had they had the opportunity to do so.

Committee on Oversight and Reform, House of

Representatives,

Washington, DC, February 8, 2022.

Cheryl L. Johnson,

Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Ms. Johnson: As a result of a clerical error, numerous

Members of Congress who had expressed interest in

cosponsoring H.R. 3076, the Postal Service Reform Act, were

not added to the bill before it was discharged

from all committees and placed on the union calendar. Below

is a list of the Members of Congress who would have

cosponsored H.R. 3076 had they been able to be added.

Brad Sherman (CA), David B. McKinley (WV), Andy Levin (MI),

Maria Elvira Salazar (FL), Mark Pocan (WI), Mariannnette

Miller-Meeks (IA), Salud Carbajal (CA), Madeleine Dean (PA),

Eric Swalwell (CA), Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE), Veronica

Escobar (TX), Jim Langevin (RI), Peter DeFazio (OR), Yvette

D. Clarke (NY), Peter Welch (VT), Betty McCollum (MN), Bobby

L. Rush (IL), Marc Veasey (TX), David Trone (MD), Nydia

Velazquez (NY), Brendan Boyle (PA), Alma Adams (NC).

Raul M. Grijalva (AZ), Ann Kuster (NH), Jim Himes (CT),

Robin Kelly (IL), Doris Matsui (CA), Rashida Tlaib (MI), Tom

Malinowski (NJ), Barbara Lee (CA), Haley Stevens (MI), Jake

Auchincloss (MA), Pramila Jayapal (WA), Greg Stanton (AZ),

Judy Chu (CA), Gregory Meeks (NY), John Yarmuth (KY), Deborah

Ross (NC), Colin Allred (TX), Antonio Delgado (NY), Jim

McGovern (MA), Donald Payne Jr. (NJ), Diana DeGette (CO),

William Keating (MA).

Sara Jacobs (CA), David Cicilline (RI), Andre Carson (IN),

Kweisi Mfume (MD), Mark DeSaulnier (CA), Lizzie Fletcher

(TX), Emanuel Cleaver (MO), Luis Correa (CA), Henry Cuellar

(TX), Carolyn Bourdeaux (GA), Paul Tonko (NY), Adam Smith

(WA), Suzan K. DelBene (WA), Danny K. Davis (IL), Chrissy

Houlahan (PA).

Jared Golden (ME), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA), Mike Levin (CA),

Matt Cartwright (PA), Sean Casten (IL), Vicente Gonzalez

(TX), Suzanne Bonamici (OR), Michael Waltz (FL), Julia

Brownley (CA), Jamie Raskin (MD), Ashley Hinson (IA), Glenn

``GT'' Thompson (PA), Mark Takano (CA), Adam Schiff (CA),

Sheila Jackson-Lee (TX).

Sincerely,

Carolyn B. Maloney

Chairwoman,

Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Madam Speaker, I also include in the Record a list of over 200 diverse organizations across our country that support this bill.

United States Postal Service,

Washington, DC, June 28, 2021.

Hon. Gary C. Peters,

Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental

Affairs, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.

Hon. Rob Portman,

Ranking Member, Committee on Homeland Security and

Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.

Hon. Carolyn P. Maloney,

Chairwoman, Committee on Oversight and Reform, House of

Representatives, Washington, DC.

Hon. James Comer,

Ranking Member, Committee on Oversight and Reform, House of

Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Peters, Chairwoman Maloney, Ranking Member

Portman, and Ranking Member Comer: I want to salute your

leadership in introducing bipartisan, bicameral legislation

to restore the Postal Service to financial sustainability

while advancing service and operational accountability. You

have struck an important balance in the Postal Service Reform

Act, evident by the impressive list of bipartisan original

cosponsors. The American people and the men and women of the

Postal Service will be the beneficiaries of this outstanding

work for years to come.

The Postal Service supports the bill and has provided your

staff with modest technical refinements that we hope will be

adopted as the legislative process advances. We have provided

similar feedback to the Office of Management and Budget at

their request. Postal reform legislation has faltered in past

Congresses when language is added that unsettles the kind of

careful balance you have achieved in this bill. Accordingly,

I would commend your collective resolve in advancing a reform

bill limited to the current set of provisions.

I wanted to particularly comment on Section 202, the

Integrated Delivery Network provision, which as introduced

requires six-day delivery through an integrated delivery

network for market-dominant and competitive products. This

provision sets forth important principles that underlie the

Postal Service's provision of universal mail and package

delivery service and that therefore benefit the American

people. I strongly urge you to retain the wording as

introduced, despite what we consider to be a parochial and

misguided effort to modify or eliminate it.

I have elaborated in an attachment on the reasons this

provision is so essential to our mission.

I look forward to continuing to work with you to advance

the postal reform legislation you have put forward to serve

the interests of the American people. Each of you have

already shown yourselves to be exceptional leaders to

preserve this essential institution and its noble mission.

Please let me how we can assist in your important efforts.

Sincerely,

Louis DeJoy,

Postmaster General, CEO.

And I would again thank Ranking Member Comer for his partnership on this widely supported bill. It would not have happened without his partnership, and I am deeply grateful.

Madam Speaker, with that, I urge all of my colleagues to support this historic bipartisan bill. We rarely get a chance to vote for a bill that helps so many people, that actually saves taxpayers money, that reforms our government, doesn't cost anything. We are just reforming and making government work better to serve the people. That is what this bill is. It is a win-win-win in every direction.

Madam Speaker, I hope that this body would unanimously vote for it and send it to the Senate with a message that they should pass it as quickly as possible.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, Mr. Comer, for his leadership, his friendship, and for the long path we went through together to make this happen. I thank all my colleagues who participated in making this happen, particularly our Speaker and our leadership in this Congress.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this manager's amendment to H.R. 3076, which makes minor technical changes to the bill. We have already discussed this bill at length so I will be brief.

The Postal Service is one of America's most vital and respected institutions. Every American benefits from the services it provides. This bill will dramatically improve the financial situation of the Postal Service and will allow it to continue providing its essential services for years to come. The technical changes made by the manager's amendment will help ensure that the bill is implemented swiftly and effectively.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this amendment, but before that, I want to really give my heartfelt thanks to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, the staff, that made this happen, particularly Mark Stephenson and Ethan VanNess.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Comer), my friend, the ranking member.

Madam Speaker, I urge passage of this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chair and the ranking member for this amazing legislation.

To my good friend from Oregon, Mr. DeFazio, I remember that bill year after year after year because the post office was given the death penalty. That is what happened in the dark of night.

I worked for the post office. Yes, I remember sorting the mail in those old days. But what I most remember is the 1 million new delivery points every year that the post office adds. While others are making a lot of money, they go to the rural areas.

I also remember the letter carriers, the rural postmasters, and all the hardworking men and women who were coming to us week after week, day after day, and said: We are dying out here, and we need to be able to have our healthcare taken care of.

But guess what? The post office had to prepay it. No one else had ever had to do that. It was one of the highest liabilities. Along with that, they were required to fund their pension liabilities at a much higher level than the rest of the Federal Government.

To conserve cash, they hadn't been paying since 2012. Can you imagine, they stopped paying their bills since 2012 because they didn't have any money?

By more closely integrating Medicare, USPS estimates it can save $22.6 billion over 10 years. What a smart thing to do.

Then, of course, the Postal Service Reform Act would eliminate the requirement of the prepaid retirement. And, then, it would require USPS to develop a public-facing online dashboard.

Again, the idea is to save the post office for the American people, save it for the workers, and save it because it is patriotic to do so. I congratulate you.

Madam Speaker, as a senior member of the House and the Committee on Homeland Security, and as Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, and a member of the Equality Caucus, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3076, the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022.

Passage of this legislation is urgently needed because USPS incurred its fourteenth consecutive net annual loss in 2020, and even if USPS continues to default on mandated payments, it would likely run out of cash to fund its operations prior to 2024.

Madam Speaker, USPS 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, even as mail volume continues to fall.

This means USPS must deliver less and less mail to more and more places.

In addition, several congressional mandates imposed when mail volume was at its peak put USPS on the road to insolvency.

USPS is required to pre-fund the health care costs of its employees, regardless of whether they actually serve until retirement.

USPS is also required to fund its pension liabilities at a much higher level than the rest of the federal government.

To conserve cash, USPS has defaulted on retiree health care payments since 2012.

That is why the key reforms in the Postal Service Reform Act of 2021 are so important.

First, the Postal Service Reform Act of 2021 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, which means USPS is stuck paying far higher premiums than any other public or private sector employer.

By more closely integrating Medicare, USPS estimates it could save approximately $22.6 billion over 10 years.

Second, the Postal Service Reform Act of 2021 would eliminate the requirement that USPS 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 and its elimination is estimated to drastically reduce its prefunding liability and allow USPS to save roughly $27 billion over 10 years.

Third, USPS Reform Act of 2021 would require USPS 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.

Fourth, the Postal Service Reform Act of 2021 would require USPS to deliver both mail and packages at least six days per week across an integrated network.

Finally, the Postal Service Reform Act of 2021 would allow USPS 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.

In addition, the legislation contains several provisions that will improve the effectiveness of the Postal Service, including:

The expansion of special rates for local newspaper distribution to promote local news organizations;

A Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) review of cost attribution guidelines for different Postal Service products to ensure pricing accuracy and better accounting;

Increased funding autonomy and control for the Postal Regulatory Commission to increase its budgetary resources commensurate with its mission of regulating the Postal Service, and to shield the PRC from government shutdowns;

A study on operational inefficiencies in Postal Service flats and magazine processing;

Regular congressional reporting on Postal Service operations and financial performance to enable accountability of stated cost savings, revenue, and infrastructure investment goals;

Adjustments to the considerations USPS must make when deciding which mode of transportation to use to deliver mail in order to ensure greater consistency and reliability; and

The consolidation of the PRC's small Inspector General Office into the more robust Postal Service Office of Inspector General.

Madam Speaker, the Postal Service's unmatched network and Universal Service Obligation serves 159 million homes and businesses every day, processing and delivering an average of 430 million pieces of mail and packages per day.

In fact, USPS often delivers seven days a week due to demand and necessity.

This has been especially true during the Covid-19 pandemic as American homes, businesses and private shippers have relied on the Postal Service to meet their needs in these extraordinary times.

Madam Speaker, I strongly support this legislation and urge all Members to join me in voting for H.R. 3076, the Postal Service Reform Act of 2021.

Madam Speaker, as a senior member of the House and the Committee on Homeland Security, and as Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, and a member of the Equality Caucus, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3076, the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022.

Passage of this legislation is urgently needed because USPS incurred its fourteenth consecutive net annual loss in 2020, and even if USPS continues to default on mandated payments, it would likely run out of cash to fund its operations prior to 2024.

Madam Speaker, USPS 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, even as mail volume continues to fall.

This means USPS must deliver less and less mail to more and more places.

In addition, several congressional mandates imposed when mail volume was at its peak put USPS on the road to insolvency.

USPS is required to pre-fund the health care costs of its employees, regardless of whether they actually serve until retirement.

USPS is also required to fund its pension liabilities at a much higher level than the rest of the federal government.

To conserve cash, USPS has defaulted on retiree health care payments since 2012.

That is why the key reforms in the Postal Service Reform Act of 2021 are so important.

First, the Postal Service Reform Act of 2021 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, which means USPS is stuck paying far higher premiums than any other public or private sector employer.

By more closely integrating Medicare, USPS estimates it could save approximately $22.6 billion over 10 years.

Second, the Postal Service Reform Act of 2021 would eliminate the requirement that USPS 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 and its elimination is estimated to drastically reduce its prefunding liability and allow USPS to save roughly $27 billion over 10 years.

Third, USPS Reform Act of 2021 would require USPS 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.

Fourth, the Postal Service Reform Act of 2021 would require USPS to deliver both mail and packages at least six days per week across an integrated network.

Finally, the Postal Service Reform Act of 2021 would allow USPS 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.

In addition, the legislation contains several provisions that will improve the effectiveness of the Postal Service, including:

1. The expansion of special rates for local newspaper distribution to promote local news organizations;

2. A Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) review of cost attribution guidelines for different Postal Service products to ensure pricing accuracy and better accounting;

3. Increased funding autonomy and control for the Postal Regulatory Commission to increase its budgetary resources commensurate with its mission of regulating the Postal Service, and to shield the PRC from government shutdowns;

4. A study on operational inefficiencies in Postal Service flats and magazine processing;

5. Regular congressional reporting on Postal Service operations and financial performance to enable accountability of stated cost savings, revenue, and infrastructure investment goals;

6. Adjustments to the considerations USPS must make when deciding which mode of transportation to use to deliver mail in order to ensure greater consistency and reliability; and

7. The consolidation of the PRC's small Inspector General Office into the more robust Postal Service Office of Inspector General.

Madam Speaker, the Postal Service's unmatched network and Universal Service Obligation serves 159 million homes and businesses every day, processing and delivering an average of 430 million pieces of mail and packages per day.

In fact, USPS often delivers seven days a week due to demand and necessity.

This has been especially true during the Covid-19 pandemic as American homes, businesses and private shippers have relied on the Postal Service to meet their needs in these extraordinary times.

Madam Speaker, I strongly support this legislation and urge all Members to join me in voting for H.R. 3076, the Postal Service Reform Act of 2021.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, Americans hold the United States Postal Service in extremely high regard, and that is for good reason. All rely on it for our paychecks, medications, news, magazines, and correspondence with loved ones. And now, more than ever, Americans enjoy the conveniences of e-commerce no matter where they live in this great Nation.

The United States Postal Service is truly one of our prized national assets. But, as we know, the Postal Service has faced financial trouble for many years. Service delays stemming from an unreliable and outdated delivery network, a drastic historical decrease in mail revenue, and a sustained surge in labor-intensive packages, have all contributed to the organization's struggles.

The rise and dominance of the internet has completely changed the way people shop, pay bills, and generally communicate. It has changed in ways that could not have even been envisioned in the 1970s, when Congress established today's independently operated Postal Service.

We need to face the music. The days of letters alone driving the Postal Service's revenue are not coming back. And with this national pandemic, we have seen what happens when the Postal Service is stressed to its operational limits.

The dual challenges of workforce shortages and a surge in package volume across its delivery network plainly exposed the inability for the Postal Service to adapt to modern challenges.

I stand here today, after more than a year of bipartisan work with my colleague, Chairwoman Maloney, to call for the House to pass the bipartisan Postal Service Reform Act of 2022. This targeted bill addresses the immediate needs of the Postal Service to help it succeed into the 21st century.

H.R. 3076 bolsters Postal Service-led operational reforms that are already showing success with better revenue and delivery performance.

For example, the Postal Service saw one of the busiest holiday seasons ever this past year. And even this current White House could not ignore the fact that nearly 99 percent of consumers received their packages on time or with minimal delays.

This was done under the leadership of Postmaster General DeJoy, and in the face of constant challenges brought about by the pandemic and the current political climate.

Coupled with the Postmaster General's ambitious and comprehensive 10- year reform plan are two legislative requests impacting the Postal Service's ability to operate profitably in the years to come.

First, the well-intentioned 2006 legislative requirement that the Postal Service prefund the retiree health benefits of all future potential costs has proven unworkable and counterproductive.

H.R. 3076 repeals this requirement, while continuing to require annual payments for what is owed to postal retirees. This helps alleviate immediate financial stresses, while still protecting the workforce's earned retirement health benefits.

Secondly, the Postmaster General has sought legislation to seamlessly transition the postal workforce into Medicare upon retirement, rather than continuing as the primary payer for retiree health benefits.

Congress has told the Postal Service it has to act like a business, and this is

not something businesses do. Businesses offer secondary coverage to wrap-around Medicare benefits, and that is what Congress should allow the Postal Service to do as well. This is sensible policy in keeping with the practices of private-sector businesses.

Postal Service retirees have been paying into Medicare their entire careers and, next to the Federal Government itself, the Postal Service is the largest contributor to the Medicare Trust Fund in the Nation.

Together, these two legislative provisions requested by Postmaster General DeJoy are projected to help the Postal Service break even in the coming years.

However, I have made it clear that Republicans need to see solutions that would also allow the Postal Service to fundamentally improve its business model. Our reform bill is designed around the Postal Service's current operational reform plans.

Additionally, our bill makes sure Congress has key oversight tools. For instance, our bill establishes a public-facing, online dashboard with full local mail delivery performance data. This will provide necessary transparency into the on-time delivery of mail, and equip every House Member to conduct oversight of mail performance in their local communities.

Congress should not be caught off guard as we were in early 2020 as the pandemic accelerated performance problems in real time.

My colleagues should also consider what this targeted reform bill does not do. Our legislation does not include draconian cuts to service delivery, such as post office closures, or decreasing delivery to residences.

Our bill keeps the needs of rural Postal Service customers front and center. For instance, the bill codifies the 6-day delivery of mail and packages, which provides assurance to businesses and rural communities alike.

And importantly, our reform bill does all of this without taking the easy approach of a bailout or increasing the budget. In fact, the bill is projected to save over a billion dollars of tax funds over the next decade, over a billion dollars.

Chairwoman Maloney and I have worked closely on receiving the input from the Postal Service and industry groups large and small, and have come to an agreement that we believe will have a real impact. I am very proud of this product, this bipartisan work.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx), who has worked steadfastly and been on board and had significant input in this bill from day one.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis), the ranking member of the House Administration Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman), who also serves as ranking subcommittee member on the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bacon).

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Armstrong), who has been a strong supporter of reform from day one.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), the dean of the House.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Malliotakis).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Tenney).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Garbarino).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Rouzer).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick).

Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time I have remaining?

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I thank my House colleagues for their heartfelt remarks today.

Madam Speaker, America's most esteemed institution, the United States Postal Service, is in trouble. Since the 1970s legislative reform, Congress has expected the Postal Service to operate as an independent and self-sufficient organization. However, for years, the Postal Service has spent far more than it has brought in, and last year alone lost over $9 billion. Many of these challenges are beyond the control of prior Postal Service leadership.

The U.S. Congress has legally obligated the Postal Service to provide universal mail service delivery. Today, that means delivery to over 160 million addresses. This is a massive and expensive undertaking that cannot be glossed over. Additionally, as our Nation's population and economy continues to grow, so will the Postal Service's ever-increasing expenses.

H.R. 3076 does not change this universal service obligation, but we risk having that difficult national conversation if we do nothing. The price for inaction is a Postal Service that will eventually require drastic service reductions, especially in rural, remote parts of America, or continual taxpayer-funded bailouts, which no conservative and no taxpayer should want. Neither are desirable options.

We have an opportunity to pass targeted legislation to relieve the Postal Service of certain financial hardships and bolster its ambitious structure reform initiatives.

This moment, with a bipartisan bill and bold Postal Service leadership at the helm, may not be easily replicated in future years. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 3036.

Madam Speaker, before I yield back, I would be remiss if I didn't say my grandmother spent her whole career as a rural mail carrier. Her name was Maitred Witcher, and she had Route 1 in Red Boiling Springs, Tennessee. I grew up with an appreciation for our mail carriers and I appreciate all the hardworking employees of the U.S. Postal Service.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the amendment.

Madam Speaker, as we have worked together on the Postal Service Reform Act over the past year, Chairwoman Maloney and I strove to fully incorporate the legislative feedback we received from the relevant agencies. This manager's amendment contains necessary technical fixes to ensure the bill's requirements are efficiently and effectively implemented.

For instance, it ensures that the U.S. Postal Service, and not the American taxpayer, fully cover the implementation costs of the Office of Personnel Management, Social Security Administration, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Madam Speaker, I thank the chairwoman and the Committee on Oversight and Reform staff for working diligently with me to make sure this bill is done right.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and I salute the leadership of Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney and Ranking Member James Comer. I thank them both for bringing this important legislation to the floor and their determined leadership to have a bipartisan bill, which is really important, and doing so, again, in a spirit of bipartisanship that would make our Founders proud.

Madam Speaker, 230 years ago this month our fledgling Nation took a bold step toward the future by formally establishing the modern United States Postal Service, a beautiful thread that continues to weave together communities across America.

Today, I rise in support of the Postal Service Reform Act, which takes long overdue actions to strengthen this pillar of our democracy so that it can continue to serve our communities for decades to come.

Since our earliest days, when couriers on horseback traversed the Colonies, America's postal system has been a model for the world.

Indeed, our Founders knew the value of a strong Postal Service, enshrining it into Article I, Section 8 of our Constitution: ``The Congress shall have the power . . . to establish post offices and post roads.''

And, when Alexis de Tocqueville visited in the early 19th century, he was in awe of how our Postal Service brought Americans together, writing there was ``no French province in which the inhabitants knew each other as well as 13 million men spread over the extent of the United States.''

Yet, decades of poor policy decisions and chronic underinvestment have put this all-American institution on the path of insolvency. As was indicated by the gentleman who just spoke, experts project that USPS will run out of cash as soon as 2024; and reduced services and added delays would only continue and bring harm in every ZIP Code.

Meanwhile, our Nation continues to ask more and more of our postal workers. Today, they deliver to nearly 159 million delivery points-- imagine that--159 million delivery points--across the Nation, and they add one million more delivery points each year. And millions of Americans depend on the USPS to deliver prescriptions, Social Security benefits, paychecks, tax returns, absentee ballots, and more.

I will just say in the period of COVID the U.S. Postal Service was angelic. It was delivering prescriptions to our veterans who were in need of those prescriptions, as well as to seniors and others. So we thank them for that.

So this legislation would put the Postal Service on stronger financial footing while improving the reliability of its services while protecting the benefits of employees and retirees.

The legislation makes bipartisan, commonsense provisions that will welcome all future postal retirees into Medicare, free the U.S. Postal Service from the unnecessary requirement to prefund retiree health benefits 75 years in advance--and we call that a financial albatross-- and improve USPS reliability with new transparency measures that will help ensure consistent on-time mail delivery.

I have much more on that that I will submit for the Record, Madam Speaker.

As a mother of five and grandmother of nine, I heavily depend on the Postal Service for all kinds of things. Children write letters to Santa. They still write letters to Santa. They do not text Santa. Some do, maybe, but the letter to Santa is very important. Parents sharing graduation photos; friends offering condolences; wedding announcements; whatever it is, it is still the duty of the Postal Service to deliver it. And servicemembers communicating with home is so important.

This important legislation takes the strong step to empower the Postal Service to continue its crucial mission to improve our lives, touch our hearts, and connect our communities.

With that, I once again want to thank Chairwoman Maloney and Ranking Member Comer, and I urge a strong bipartisan vote for this legislation.

And again, even though we are communicating electronically in so many ways, there is no substitute for that personal connection that the Postal Service provides for us.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3076, the Postal Reform Act. It is my hope that the changes in this legislation will help the United States Postal Service and its hardworking employees continue to serve our communities.

Our communities depend on a strong and vibrant Postal Service. The United States Postal Service reaches into every community of every size across our nation through its unmatchable delivery network. Over 600,000 hardworking Postal Service employees, nearly a quarter of them veterans, help the Postal Service carryout its obligations and provide top quality service to our communities which has helped the Postal Service consistently rank as one of the most respected institutions.

My constituents, like most Americans, rely on the efficient and timely delivery of bills, parcels and medication by the Postal Service. And when asked to do more, our postal workers step up. For example, the administration recently leaned on the Postal Service to help distribute at home COVID test kits, given its presence and ability to reach every community in our country. It is critical that the House take up legislation to help strengthen the Postal Service. This debate has been long overdue and so I welcome today's vote. I hope our colleagues in the Senate will quickly follow suit.

The challenges facing the Postal Service are well known. The adverse impact of mandates imposed by Congress in 2006 Postal Reform legislation that have hurt the Postal Service. The declining volume of first-class mail and associated revenue losses. Policy changes initiated by the current Postmaster General that has slowed the mail while raising mailing costs, a recipe for disaster.

At the same time, the Postal Service has an aging vehicle fleet that becomes more expensive every year to maintain and keep on the road.

The bill before us, while not perfect and not addressing every issue, would help put the Postal Service on a better path. I fear that every day of further inaction or delay on legislation such as the Postal Reform Act would only worsen the situation facing the Postal Service, its customers, and its employees. And failing to act may only lead to even more drastic measures and service cuts that will only adversely impact the millions of Americans and businesses that rely on the USPS. For example, some have used the current situation to push for ill- advised privatization of the Postal Service.

The Postal Reform Act includes provisions from stand-alone bills that I support such as preserving six-day mail delivery and repealing the requirement that the USPS prefund future retirement health benefits. And it would provide more flexibility for the Postal Service to offer work with state, local and tribal governments, to explore avenues to help generate more revenues.

We need a strong and vibrant Postal Service that maintains accessible services for all in our community. As the most trusted institution in the federal government and the cornerstone of a trillion dollar plus industry, the Postal Service and its dedicated postal workforce deserve every effort on our part to ensure it remains a viable and thriving institution.

I support this legislation and urge my colleagues to do the same.