[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 139 (Wednesday, August 5, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4960-S4961]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 2593. Ms. COLLINS (for herself, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Daines, and
Mr. Moran) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment
SA 2499 proposed by Mr. McConnell to the bill S. 178, to condemn gross
human rights violations of ethnic Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang, and
calling for an end to arbitrary detention, torture, and harassment of
these communities inside and outside China; which was ordered to lie on
the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. _____. POSTAL SERVICE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) By law, the Postal Service operates as ``a basic and
fundamental service provided to the people by the Government
of the United States'' and must serve rural, suburban, and
urban areas throughout the United States.
(2) The Postal Service is a lifeline for businesses and
consumers across the United States, especially those in
remote and rural areas of the country, delivering business
correspondence, educational, cultural and scientific
information, critical prescriptions and medications,
household items, and commercial goods with affordable,
reliable service not fewer than 6 days per week.
(3) The Postal Service helps small businesses stay
connected with their customers no matter where they are
located or where their customers live.
(4) Since 1970, the Postal Service has been charged with
operating as a self-sustaining entity and its operations are
funded from postage paid for mail and shipping and not
primarily by taxpayer funds.
(5) The Government Accountability Office reports that the
Postal Service has lost approximately $78,000,000,000 from
fiscal year 2007 through 2019 due primarily to declining mail
volumes and rising costs.
(6) Package delivery volumes have more than doubled since
2010, but the Postal Service faces competition in this area.
(7) The Postal Service is not on a sustainable path and
needs reform to be viable over the long term.
(8) Reforms must be focused on the long term solvency of
the Postal Service while ensuring the greatest benefit to the
public and 630,000 employees of the Postal Service.
(9) By law, the authority for operation and strategic
direction of the Postal Service, an independent establishment
of the executive branch, is delegated to the Board of
Governors of the Postal Service, including the Postmaster
General.
(10) On May 6, 2020, the Board of Governors of the Postal
Service selected Louis DeJoy as the 75th Postmaster General
of the United States.
(11) The new Postmaster General should be given the
opportunity to review the operations and finances of the
Postal Service and, in coordination with the rest of the
Board of Governors of the Postal Service, propose a plan to
ensure its long term viability.
(12) At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic has
significantly contributed to the decline in market dominant
mail volumes and revenues while increasing costs, putting
additional stress on the financial situation of the Postal
Service.
(13) Now more than ever, affordable mail and package
delivery provided by the Postal Service is a lifeline for
people in the United States, especially for seniors and
others living in remote and rural areas.
(14) The critical services the Postal Service provides will
play a fundamental part of the economic recovery of the
United States.
(15) Congress should provide immediate emergency
appropriations to cover financial losses to the Postal
Service caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in order to keep the
Postal Service operating without interruptions in service and
to give the new Postmaster General and the Board of Governors
of the Postal Service time to formulate and propose to
Congress a plan to ensure the long term viability of the
Postal Service.
(16) In addition, although Congress recognized the critical
role the Postal Service plays by providing $10,000,000,000 in
borrowing authority in the CARES Act (Public Law 116-136; 134
Stat. 281) to address operating losses caused by the COVID-19
pandemic, clarification is required with respect to the terms
and conditions imposed by the Secretary of the Treasury on
any such borrowing.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) COVID-19.--The term ``COVID-19'' means the coronavirus
disease 2019 (COVID-19).
[[Page S4961]]
(2) Postal service.--The term ``Postal Service'' means the
United States Postal Service.
(c) Emergency Appropriations for the Postal Service to
Cover COVID-19 Induced Losses.--
(1) In general.--There is established in the Treasury of
the United States a fund to be known as the Postal Service
COVID-19 Emergency Fund.
(2) Appropriations.--There is appropriated, out of any
money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to the
Postal Service COVID-19 Emergency Fund, $25,000,000,000, to
remain available until September 30, 2022, pursuant to this
subsection: Provided, That such amount is designated by
Congress as being for an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(b)(2)(A)(i)).
(3) Certification.--The Postal Service shall certify in its
quarterly and audited annual reports to the Postal Regulatory
Commission under section 3654 of title 39, United States
Code, and in conformity with the requirements of section 13
or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C.
78m, 78o(d)), any expenditures necessary to cover lost
revenue or operational expenses resulting from the COVID-19
pandemic. The Postal Service shall provide copies of these
certified filings to the Senate Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs, and the House Committee on
Oversight and Reform within 15 days of any filing with the
Postal Regulatory Commission.
(4) Transfer.--Within 15 days of any filing with the Postal
Regulatory Commission, as referenced in paragraph (3), the
Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer from the Postal
Service COVID-19 Emergency Fund to the Postal Service Fund
such amounts, up to $25,000,000,000 certified as expenditures
necessary to cover lost revenue or operational expenses
resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, pursuant to paragraph
(3). This transfer authority is in addition to any other
transfer authority provided in this section. Any amounts
transferred to the Postal Service Fund under this subsection
may be used for such purposes as the Postal Service considers
appropriate, pursuant to this subsection.
(5) Additional requirement.--The Postal Service, during the
COVID-19 pandemic, shall prioritize the purchase of, and make
available to all employees and facilities of the Postal
Service, personal protective equipment, including gloves,
masks, and sanitizers, and shall conduct additional cleaning
and sanitizing of Postal Service facilities and delivery
vehicles.
(d) Clarification of Postal Service Borrowing Authority.--
Section 6001(b)(2) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and
Economic Security Act (Public Law 116-136) is amended to read
as follows:
``(2) the Secretary of the Treasury shall lend up to the
amount described in paragraph (1) at the request of the
Postal Service subject to the terms and conditions of the
note purchase agreement between the Postal Service and the
Federal Financing Bank in effect on September 29, 2018.''.
(e) Postal Service Reform Plan.--
(1) In general.--The Postmaster General shall, in
coordination with the rest of the Board of Governors of the
Postal Service, develop a plan to ensure the long-term
solvency of the Postal Service.
(2) Submission to congress.--No later than 270 days after
the date of enactment of this Act, the Postal Service shall
submit to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs of the Senate, the Committee on Oversight and Reform
of the House of Representatives, and the Postal Regulatory
Commission the plan required under this subsection, including
recommendations for congressional action.
(3) Congressional update.--Prior to submission of the plan
required under paragraph (2) and not later than 180 days
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Postal Service
shall provide a briefing on the status of the plan to the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of
the Senate and the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the
House of Representatives.
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