Congressional findings

Congress finds the following:(1)The United States Postal Service shall be operated as a basic and fundamental service provided to the people by the Government of the United States, authorized by the Constitution, created by Act of Congress, and supported by the people. The Postal Service shall have as its basic function the obligation to provide postal services to bind the Nation together through the personal, educational, literary, and business correspondence of the people. It shall provide prompt, reliable, and efficient services to patrons in all areas and shall render postal services to all communities. The costs of establishing and maintaining the Postal Service shall not be apportioned to impair the overall value of such service to the people (39 U.S.C. 101).(2)On March 23, 2021, the Postal Service announced its ten-year Delivering for America plan to provide prompt, reliable, and efficient mail and package shipping services to all Americans— regardless of where they live—and at affordable rates. One of the ways the Postal Service intends to achieve this objective is through Mail Processing Facility Reviews. These reviews have the potential to impact delivery standards and ballot collection processes across the Nation.(3)Thousands of concerned American citizens have voiced their opinions against these reviewal processes, and numerous Members and Senators have written letters to the Postmaster General demanding answers to these legitimate concerns.(4)The Postal Regulatory Commission, in consultation with the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, possesses the statutory authority to evaluate and issue an advisory opinion on the impact of the Postal Service’s reforms including but not limited to costs, revenue, volume, products, and service standards (39 U.S.C. 501, 3622, 3652, 3662, and 3691).(5)On March 28, 2024, the Office of Inspector General released a comprehensive audit, Report Number 23–161–R24, which outlined how the reforms led to worse service, an inadequately informed public, decreased employee availability, and an increase in late and canceled mail transportation trips.(6)On April 26, 2024, the Postal Regulatory Commission issued Order No. 7061 to the Postal Service, which focuses on these reforms and requires that the Postal Service either submit to an advisory opinion of the Commission or justify why said opinion is not warranted.(7)On May 20, 2024, the Postmaster General agreed to pause some of these reforms until January 1, 2025, and outlined which reforms remain ongoing in 2024.

Upholding delivery standards and election integrity

(a)

In general

No funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the United States Postal Service may be used to—(1)consolidate or close small rural and other small post offices; or(2)perform a mail processing facility review or implement changes pursuant to a mail processing facility review during any year in which a regularly scheduled general election for Federal office is held pursuant to section 25 of the Revised Statutes (2 U.S.C. 7).(b)

Collection box audit

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Inspector General of the United States Postal Service shall conduct an audit of the processes of each geographic district and Logistics and Processing Operations division of the United States Postal Service for removing mail collection boxes and submit to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report on the findings of such audit.