[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1686 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1686

 To provide for the protection and integrity of the United States mail.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 24, 2009

  Mr. Lynch introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
              Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide for the protection and integrity of the United States mail.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Mail Network Protection Act of 
2009''.

SEC. 2. MAIL NETWORK PROTECTION.

    Section 404 of title 39, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections 
        (e) and (f), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:
    ``(d)(1) The Postal Service may not enter into any contract 
described in paragraph (2) without first satisfying the requirements of 
paragraph (3).
    ``(2) A contract described in this paragraph is any contract 
which--
            ``(A) provides for mail processing, mail handling, or 
        surface transportation of mail; and
            ``(B) involves work--
                    ``(i) that would otherwise be performed, in whole 
                or in part, by career postal employees within a 
                recognized bargaining unit; and
                    ``(ii) the performance of which would, during any 
                12-month period--
                            ``(I) cost the Postal Service $5,000,000 or 
                        more under the proposed contract; or
                            ``(II) involve at least 50 workyears of 
                        work.
    ``(3)(A) Before entering into a contract described in paragraph 
(2), the Postal Service shall first notify the exclusive representative 
of the bargaining unit described in paragraph (2)(B)(i) (or each such 
unit) of its intent and, if requested, shall meet and bargain with the 
exclusive representative (or representatives), in accordance with the 
provisions of chapter 12 relating to collective bargaining, with 
respect to the proposed contract.
    ``(B) If no agreement is reached within 60 days after collective 
bargaining commences, either party may invoke the dispute resolution 
procedures set forth in subsection (c) of section 1207, which 
subsection shall thereupon apply in accordance with its terms.
    ``(4) Any contract described in paragraph (2) which is not entered 
into in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (3) shall be void 
ab initio.''.

SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to any 
contract entered into on or after the date of the enactment of this 
Act.
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