Government affairs

Legislative Updates

‘Defending Postal Delivery for the Future Act’ introduced in the House

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) has introduced H.R 3464, the Defending Quality Postal Delivery for the Future Act, to prevent the U.S. Postal Service from closing any post office or postal facility that serves a high-growth ZIP code.

The bill, co-sponsored by Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), aims to help reverse the scheduled closings in areas where there has been a high rate of population growth.

If passed, the bill would require USPS to work with the Department of Commerce to ensure no closure would negatively impact a “high growth” ZIP code. This would be determined annually by using Census Bureau data to compare the population of ZIP codes from the beginning of the year with the end of the year.

“Closing postal facilities in high-growth localities like Tucson threatens jobs and undermines timely delivery in the exact places where we should be doing the opposite,” Grijalva said, noting that “haphazard” facility closures “undermine the basic services of our society.

“Our goal should be to catalyze economic development,” he said, “not stunt it in the fastest-growing population centers in the country.”

Grijalva introduced similar legislation in 2012.

“The NALC is committed to restoring and preserving service and delivery standards,” NALC President Fredric Rolando said. “We appreciate the support of those in Congress who continue to fight for solutions that would enable the Postal Service to meet the needs of all business and residential customers across the country.”

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