Tillis offers reform bill for financially troubled USPS

U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) on May 19 signed on as an original cosponsor of a comprehensive bipartisan reform bill to prop up and improve the finances of the United States Postal Service (USPS).

“Americans rely on the U.S. Postal Service every day to promptly and successfully deliver their mail,” Sen. Tillis said. “It’s crucial that we provide them with the proper financial support and strengthen transparency and accountability so Americans can rely on their service all year long.”

Sen. Tillis introduced the Postal Service Reform Act of 2021, S. 1720, with bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) and fellow Republican cosponsors including U.S. Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Steve Daines (R-MT), Susan Collins (R-ME), Roy Blunt (R-MO), and Mike Rounds (R-SD). 

If enacted, S. 1720 would eliminate a pre-funding requirement that has financially impacted USPS and would integrate postal worker retirees’ health care with Medicare, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Tillis’ office, which said that together, both proposed reforms would create $45.9 billion in savings for USPS over the next 10 years.

Proposed USPS operational reforms include those for performance targets and transparency, an integrated delivery network, a review of USPS cost attribution guidelines, rural newspaper sustainability, funding of the Postal Regulatory Commission; a flats operations study and reforms, reporting requirements, and USPS Inspector General oversight of the Postal Regulatory Commission, according to the text of the bill.

For instance, the bill would require USPS to maintain standard delivery services at least six days a week and seeks to improve transparency of USPS operations by requiring that accessible weekly service data be published on the USPS website.

The measure has been referred for consideration to the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.