Government affairs

News & updates

House oversight committee holds hearing on the impact of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s Delivering for America Plan

On May 17, the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability’s (COA) Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce held a hearing titled “Tracking the Postal Service: An Update on the Delivering for America Plan” to seek updates from Postmaster General Louis DeJoy regarding implementation of the 10-year Delivering for American Plan, including the Postal Service Reform Act (PSRA) — a cornerstone of the plan.

 
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Resolutions protecting service reintroduced in House

On May 9, Reps. David Joyce (R-OH) and Sanford Bishop (D-GA) reintroduced a door delivery resolution (H. Res. 376), which calls on Congress to take all appropriate measures to ensure the continuation of door delivery for all business and residential customers.

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118th Congress convenes

On Jan 3, the 118th Congress convened. While senators were sworn in that day, members of the House did not take their oaths of office until the early morning hours of Jan. 7. 

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OMB nominees heading for Senate confirmation

On Feb. 9, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) voted 8-6 and the Senate Budget Committee voted 15-6 to advance the nominations of Shalanda Young and Nani Coloretti to lead the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

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NALC weighs in on proposed service standard changes

In comments filed with the Postal Service on June 22 as part of the Postal Regulatory Commission’s review of the USPS’s proposed changes in service standards for First Class Mail and Periodicals, NALC argued against slowing the delivery of such mail.

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Senate Committee Advances USPS BOG and OPM Director Nominations

The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs (HSGAC) advanced the nominations of Anton Hajjar, Amber McReynolds and Ronald Stroman to the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors (BOG) and Kiran Ahuja to be Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

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White House Releases the American Families Plan

The White House released the American Families Plan, a $1 trillion plan that seeks to increase access to education, provide paid family and medical leave, make health care and childcare more affordable and more.

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Senate Holds Hearing for USPS BOG and OPM Director Nominees

Today, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs held a hearing to consider the nominations of Anton Hajjar, Amber McReynolds and Ronald Stroman to the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors (BOG), and the nomination of Kiran Ahuja to be Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

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House Passes PRO Act

Tonight, the House of Representatives passed the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act (H.R. 842), which seeks to restore protections that give workers the right to organize and bargain for better wages, benefits and working conditions.

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House Passes American Rescue Plan Act

This weekend, the House of Representatives passed the “American Rescue Plan Act,” (H.R. 1319) by a vote of 219-212, with two Democrats --Reps. Jared Golden (ME) and Kurt Schraeder (OR) -- and all Republicans opposing.

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House Passes Bill Honoring Jose Hernandez

On Tuesday, the House passed H.R. 813, designating the postal facility located at 1050 Sunset Road Southwest in Albuquerque, NM, as the “Jose Hernandez Post Office Building.”

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House Lawmakers Introduce Vaccine Priority Resolution

Today, Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) introduced House Resolution 108 (H.Res. 108), which calls on Congress to recognize Postal Service employees as front-line essential workers who must be prioritized for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

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House and Senate Oversight Committees Finalized

Every Congress, the House and Senate organize their structure, rules, and committee assignments. While there are numerous Committees, the House Oversight and Reform Committee (COR) and Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee (HSGAC) are the primary Committees with jurisdiction over federal employees and the Postal Service.

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USPS Fairness Act Reintroduced in House and Senate

This week, the USPS Fairness Act was reintroduced in the House (H.R. 695) and Senate (S. 145). Both bills would repeal the mandate that the Postal Service “pre-fund” decades’ worth of health benefits for its future retirees, enacted through the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA) of 2006.

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House Reintroduces Anti-Privatization Resolution

Today, Reps. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) and Rodney Davis (R-IL) reintroduced their resolution calling on the House to take “all appropriate measures to ensure that the United States Postal Service remains an independent establishment of the Federal Government and is not subject to privatization.”

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Service Standards House Resolution Introduced

Reps. David McKinley (R-WV) and Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) have reintroduced House Resolution 119 (H. Res. 119), expressing the sense of Congress that the Postal Service should take all appropriate measures to restore the service standards that were in effect as of July 1, 2012.

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Social Security Fairness Act Reintroduced

Reps. Rodney Davis (R-IL) and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) have reintroduced the Social Security Fairness Act of 2021 (H.R. 82), which would repeal the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) titles of the Social Security Act.

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117th Congress convenes

Today, the House of Representatives and Senate convened the 117th Congress in-person, following months of operating remotely and voting by proxy due to COVID-19.

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Fourth COVID-19 Relief Package Signed Into Law

Following months of failed negotiations between leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives and the White House, a fourth COVID-19 relief package was signed into law today as a part of the FY 2021 government spending.

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NALC Statement on Presidential Election

On behalf of the National Association of Letter Carriers, which represents 285,000 active and retired letter carriers around the country, we congratulate President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on their victory today.

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GOTV Volunteer Opportunities

With nearly 100 million voters having already cast their ballots, turnout – whether by mail or in-person – is expected to be record-setting but there is more work to do to Get Out The Vote. 

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Postal Banking Bill Introduced in Senate

Today, Sens. Sanders (I-VT) and Gillibrand (D-NY) joined forces to introduce a bill (S.4614) to require the Postal Service to expand its banking services to meet the needs of unbanked or underbanked communities nationwide.

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Senate Introduces “Skinny” COVID-19 Relief Bill

In response to mounting pressure from the House to negotiate over additional COVID-19 relief, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced the Delivering Immediate Relief to America’s Families, Schools and Small Businesses Act

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NALC endorses Biden-Harris

Fredric Rolando, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), released the following statement regarding the NALC Executive Council’s endorsement of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for president and vice president of the United States.

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House Passes FSGG Spending Bill, Maintains Six-Day Mail Delivery

Today, the House of Representatives passed the Defense, Commerce, Justice, Science, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2021 H.R. 7617 (116),  which provides funding to the majority of the federal government through September 30.

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Senate Leadership Unveils New Covid Relief Package, Ignores the Postal Service

Two and a half months after the House of Representatives passed the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions, or “HEROES” Act (H.R. 6800), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell this week finally announced an outline of the Senate GOP’s response, a $1 trillion relief package called the Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection and Schools Act (HEALS Act).

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Week in review June 8-12

As they have across the country, protests continued in Washington DC this week in response to the death of George Floyd and the lack of action from the federal government in addressing existing institutional racism through long-overdue reforms. 

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Week in review June 1-5

Both the House and Senate were in session this week, though the House maintains its new rule for voting by proxy in order to keep the far larger chamber from gathering in person unnecessarily and to maintain social distancing as the number of cases of Coronavirus continue to rise across the country. 

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Senate holds hearing on two Postal BOG nominees

Today, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs’ Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management held a hearing to consider the nomination of Captain Lee Moak and William Zollars to be members of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Board of Governors (BOG) in addition to three nominees to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

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Week in review May 18-22

Following House passage of the HEROES Act, negotiations amongst Congressional leadership and the Administration are ongoing.

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Week in review May 11-15

Both chambers were back in Washington DC, but with nearly all attention on the House following the introduction and eventual passage of the fourth major response package to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

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Week in review April 20-24

Congress was busy working-on and passing an interim legislative package meant to replenish funding already approved in the previous emergency stimulus bill this week and today it was signed into law.

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Week in review April 13-17

Both House and Senate leadership announced this week that they will not reconvene in Washington DC sooner than May 4, two weeks later than the previously scheduled date.

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President Trump is Being Misinformed About the Postal Service

At a time when the heroic workers of the US Postal Service are braving infection to serve the country during an unprecedented national crisis, it is imperative that representatives at all levels of the federal government have a fundamental understanding of the value of the postal service, the cause of and solutions to its current financial circumstances, and the dangers to the US economy and rural health in the event of a USPS insolvency.

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Congress introduces Coronavirus Response Bill

Having passed an emergency $8.3 billion funding package last week, today, House lawmakers introduced the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201) would provide billions more in funding to combat the spread and impacts of the virus.

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Week in Review (March 2-6)

Lawmakers’ primary attention this week was on the coronavirus with a $8.3 billion emergency package prepared to address it. 

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Week in Review (February 24-28)

Both the House and Senate were in session this week with the majority of legislative focus being paid to President Trump’s fiscal year 2021 budget request.

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Week in Review (February 10-14)

Lawmakers were in Washington DC this week and received the President Trump’s upcoming fiscal year 2021 budget request, which features many of the same cuts to pay and benefits for the federal workforce and the U.S. Postal Service. 

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House passes worker-friendly PRO Act

On February 6, the House of Representatives passed the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act (H.R. 2474), legislation that would increase protections for workers’ right to organize and bargain for higher wages, better benefits, safer working conditions, and more.

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USPS Fairness Act vote breakdown

While the full roll call vote on the USPS Fairness Act (H.R. 2382) is available here, below you can find lists of the vote breakdown notable to NALC.

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Week in review Jan 27-31

While the Senate continued the impeachment trial this week, the President signed the USMCA into law, but most important to letter carriers, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) announced that the House of Representatives will vote on the USPS Fairness Act (H.R. 2382) in the coming days.

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Week in review January 6-10

The House returned to session this week following the winter break while the Senate swore in Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) to fill the seat of Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA), who retired at the end of 2019. 

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Week in review December 16-20

This was a very busy week for lawmakers on Capitol Hill ahead of a countdown on temporary funding set to expire this Friday, December 20. 

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Week in review (November 18-22)

As lawmakers head back today to their various districts and states, they leave behind a busy week of securing funding for the government through December 20, electing a new chair of a committee key to NALC’s priorities, and advancing legislation and proposals to help working people. 

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Government funding secure through December 20

Following the House and Senate passage of a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government through December 20, the President signed the CR into law this evening thereby averting a third government shutdown under his presidency. 

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Senate Republicans introduce multiemployer pension proposal

Today, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) introduced a proposal “to avert the collapse of critically underfunded” union pension plans. 

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Week in review (October 21-25)

Congress remained in session this week with legislative business pausing following the death of House Oversight and Reform Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-MD). 

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U.S. to remain in the Universal Postal Union

Today in Geneva, Switzerland, delegates to a Special Congress of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) reached an agreement on reforms to the way postal operators pay each other for delivering international mail—the so-called “terminal dues” system. 

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Week in Review September 16-20

Since they returned from August Recess, lawmakers’ first priority has been to finalize appropriations for fiscal year 2020 (FY2020) ahead of the end of the fiscal year on September 30. 

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NALC opposes efforts to withdraw United States from the UPU

Ahead of the third Extraordinary Congress of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in Geneva on September 24-25, there have been suggestions from the White House that it could pull the United States from the organization if the treaty does not meet the demands of the Trump Administration.

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House passes CR to fund government through November 21

The House of Representatives passed a continuing resolution (CR) today to provide temporary funding for the government until November 21, 2019 while negotiations around long-term appropriations for fiscal year 2020 (FY2020) continue. 

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Week in Review July 22-26

While the Senate remains in DC for one more week, the House is now on August Recess, which means they’re back in their respective districts for both vacation and home work periods. 

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Week in review (July 8-12)

Congress found themselves back on Capitol Hill this week, returning to the same budget stalemate they left for the 4th of July district work period.

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Week in Review (June 24-28)

The House and Senate were in session this week with the House passing more spending bills for FY 2020, while the Senate passed a $4.6 billion border funding bill to address the humanitarian crisis to the south

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Week in Review (June 3-7)

Following Memorial Day recess, lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill from their respective states and districts to continue work on fiscal year 2020 appropriations, to send the $19.1 billion disaster relief bill to the White House where it was signed into law, and for the House to pass legislation that would provide a pathway to citizenship for the ‘Dreamers’ before it promptly died in the Senate following a statement from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

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Week in review May 13-17

Lawmakers were on Capitol Hill this week with House committees marking up appropriations bills for fiscal year 2020 and Senate committees focused on advancing nominees. 

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Bill introduced to upgrade USPS fleet

Today, Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) introduced the Federal Leadership in Energy Efficient Transportation Act or FLEET Act (H.R. 2337) along with five other cosponsors. The bill seeks to modernize the U.S. Postal Service’s aging fleet of Long-Life Vehicles (LLVs).

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Senate committee holds hearing on Postal Task Force report

Today, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (HSGAC) held a hearing titled, “A Path to Sustainability: Recommendations from the President’s Task Force on the United States Postal Service” (USPS), in order to evaluate the findings and recommendations of the White House Postal Task Force that were laid out in their December, 2018 report. 

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Week in Review (March 4 – March 8)

The House and Senate were in session this week with work being done on a wide array of issues including addressing the President’s national emergency declaration, the electoral reform bill H.R. 1, and much more.

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Senate reintroduces anti-privatization resolution

Today, a bipartisan group of 25 Senators reintroduced their anti-privatization resolution (S. Res. 99) for the 116th Congress, calling on the Senate to take “all appropriate measures to ensure that the United States Postal Service remains an independent establishment of the Federal Government and is not subject to privatization in whole or in part.”

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House Committees Continue Consideration of H.R. 1

The House Committee on House Administration met today to markup the “For the People Act of 2019” (H.R. 1), the House Democrats’ sweeping legislation that looks to reform voting rights, campaign finance reform, lobbying, and government ethics, among others.  

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Senate HSGAC announces subcommittee membership

Today, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs (HSGAC) Chairman Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-MI) announced the members that will serve on the committee’s subcommittees in the 116th Congress.

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Week in Review (January 14-18)

The House and Senate were in session this week and both have cancelled their planned recesses in the upcoming week due to the partial government shutdown.

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House reintroduces six-day delivery resolution

Today, Reps. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Sam Graves (R-MO) reintroduced their door delivery resolution for the 116th Congress, calling on the House to take “all appropriate measures to ensure the continuation of its 6-day mail delivery service.”

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Week in Review November 26-30

This week, Congress returned from Thanksgiving recess with only a few legislative days left in the 115th to address must-pass items.

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Congressional Week in Review (November 12-16)

Following midterms, Congress returned this week for the lame-duck session, where it will complete any last-minute work before the 115th Congress concludes and the 116th Congress convenes on January 3, 2019. 

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Senate Committee advances Postal Regulatory Commission nominee

Tonight, during a lame-duck business meeting, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) advanced the nomination of Michael Kubayanda to the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) for the remainder of a six-year term expiring November 22, 2020.

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Senate Committee Advances Gov Reorg Act

The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs (HSGAC) marked up the Reforming Government Act of 2018 (S.3137) in addition to a number of pieces of legislation. 

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House resolution introduced on USPS privatization

Bipartisan representatives introduced a House Resolution (H. Res. 993) calling on Congress to take all appropriate measures to ensure that the Postal Service remain an independent agency of the federal government and not be subject to privatization.

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House passes H.R. 6, a vehicle for opioid-related measures

Today, in a 396-14 vote, the House of Representatives passed the “Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act” (H.R. 6), which serves as a vehicle for a series of opioid-related bills.

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Postal Reform Act reintroduced in House

Today, Rep. Meadows (R-NC) along with Reps. Russell (R-OK), Ross (R-FL), Connolly (D-VA), Cummings (D-MD), and Lynch (D-MA), introduced the Postal Reform Act of 2018 (H.R. 6076), intended to be a replacement for the Postal Reform Act of 2017 (H.R. 756).

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House advances the STOP Act

Today, the House of Representatives advanced “The Securing the International Mail against Opioids Act of 2018” (H.R. 5788), drafted as a replacement for the stalled STOP Act (H.R. 1057, S. 372).

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President signs VA Mission Act

This measure will give the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary the authority to privatize and consolidate veteran health care programs, including the VA Choice Program, into a single, permanent Veterans Community Care Program.

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Executive orders on federal employees

NALC is currently investigating if the executive orders issued by President Trump on Friday May 25 have any impact on the United States Postal Service. We will report our findings as information becomes available.

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Opioid roundup

The country’s ongoing opioid epidemic has sparked a series of proposals aimed at solving the crisis, some of which include provisions regarding the Postal Service.

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OPM proposes retirement changes

OPM sent a letter to Paul Ryan making four legislative recommendations that, if enacted, would require current and future federal employees to make larger pension contributions, and also would scale back retirement benefits for current retirees.

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