Government affairs

Legislative Updates

Week in review March 16-20

Nearly all the attention in Washington DC has been on a response to the growing crisis due to the spread of the Coronavirus. A second emergency relief package was signed into law while a third has already been introduced. Letter carriers should know that NALC is actively engaging Congressional leadership and the Administration to ensure that the safety and stability of the U.S. Postal Service and its workforce is protected as the government responds to and weathers this crisis.

Congressional activity

On Wednesday, the President signed the second emergency relief package for the Coronavirus response into law. The “Families First Coronavirus Response Act” (H.R. 6201) is a broad package that includes numerous provisions to strengthen the health care sector and minimize the impact of the virus on our economy and health. Most significant is the creation of a temporary right to paid leave requiring all government employers to provide the temporary leave to their employees, as will private-sector employers with fewer than 500 employees. The temporary paid leave that is covered in this bill is described as “emergency paid sick leave” and “emergency family leave” and the circumstances in which the leave can be taken may be found in NALC’s write up on the matter here.

On Friday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell introduced a third emergency relief package for the Coronavirus response, the “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act” or CARES Act (S. 3548), which Leader McConnell hopes the chamber can vote on as early as Monday. The sweeping legislation, written solely by Senate Republicans, could cost $1 trillion or more with a centerpiece of the package including tax rebates to individuals of $1,200 and $2,400 for married couples under a certain income threshold. As written, the legislation also provides $208 billion worth of loans for companies suffering due to the coronavirus pandemic, which includes $58 billion for the airline industry and $150 billion for other impacted sectors of the economy, while some $300 billion is aimed at helping smaller businesses. Leader McConnell intends for the legislation to be a starting point for bipartisan discussions and it is likely the package will be heavily amended before a vote if Senate Democratic votes are expected.

2020 election activity

Due to the disruptions the Coronavirus has caused, the following states have postponed their primary elections as of today: Alabama (July 14), Connecticut (June 2), Georgia (May 19), Indiana (June 2), Kentucky (June 23), Louisiana (June 20), Maryland (June 2) and Ohio (June 2).

Letter carriers can check state election information by going to your state’s Secretary of State website (Ex: Alabama, Connecticut) and at NPR, which is updating upcoming elections by date here.

NALC Priority Bills/Resolutions

H.R. 2382/S. 2965 – USPS Fairness Act
Status: Passed House of Representatives, introduced in Senate by Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT)
Co-sponsors: 5 Senate (3 Democrats – 2 Republicans)
House vote: 309 Yea (222 Democrats – 87 Republicans) – 106 Nays (105 Republicans – 1 Independent)

To repeal the requirement that the United States Postal Service prepay future retirement benefits.

House Resolution 23 (H. Res. 23) – Door Delivery
Status: Introduced by Reps. Susan Davis (D-CA) and Peter King (R-NY)
Co-sponsors: 261 (207 Democrats – 54 Republicans)

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States Postal Service should take all appropriate measures to ensure the continuation of door delivery for all business and residential customers.

House Resolution 33 (H. Res. 33) – Anti-privatization
Status: Introduced by Reps. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) and Rodney Davis (R-IL)
Co-sponsors: 267 (226 Democrats – 41 Republicans)

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should 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.

House Resolution 54 (H. Res. 54) – Six-day Delivery
Status: Introduced by Reps. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Sam Graves (R-MO)
Co-sponsors: 292 (217 Democrats – 75 Republicans)

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States Postal Service should take all appropriate measures to ensure the continuation of its six-day mail delivery service.

House Resolution 60 (H. Res. 60) – Service Standards
Status: Introduced by Rep. David McKinley (R-WV) and Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)
Co-sponsors: 206 (180 Democrats – 26 Republicans)

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States Postal Service should take all appropriate measures to restore service standards in effect as of July 1, 2012.

Senate Resolution 99 (S. Res. 99) – Anti-privatization
Status: Introduced by Sens. Gary Peters and Jerry Moran (R-KS)
Co-sponsors: 54 (44 Democrats – 8 Republicans – 2 Independents)

Expressing the sense of the Senate that Congress should 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.

H.R. 2478 – Fed Retirement Fairness Act
Status: Introduced by Reps. Derek Kilmer (D-WA) and Tom Cole (R-OK)
Co-sponsors: 57 (44 Democrats – 13 Republicans)

To provide certain federal employees the opportunity to make catch-up retirement contributions for time spent as temporary employees after Dec. 31, 1988, thus making such time creditable service under the Federal Employees Retirement System. Now applies to temporary postal employees, such as letter carriers who spent time as casuals, TEs, and CCAs.

H.R. 2474/S. 1306 – PRO Act
Status: Passed House of Representatives, introduced in Senate by Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)
Co-sponsors: Senate 40 (39 Democrat, 1 Independent, 0 Republican)
House vote: 224 Yea (219 Democrats – 5 Republicans) – 194 Nays (186 Republicans – 1 Independent)

To increase protections for workers’ right to organize and bargain for higher wages, better benefits, and safer working conditions.

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