[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 38 (Wednesday, March 2, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S955-S956]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 4963. Mr. MERKLEY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill H.R. 3076, to provide stability to and enhance the 
services of the United States Postal Service, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. RURAL POST OFFICES.

       (a) In General.--Section 404(d) of title 39, United States 
     Code, is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``post office,'' and 
     inserting the following: ``post office and, with respect to a 
     determination to close a post office in a rural area, as 
     defined by the Census Bureau, including such a post office 
     that has been damaged or completely destroyed by fire, prior 
     to making the determinations required by paragraph (4),'';
       (2) in paragraph (3), by striking ``subsection.'' and 
     inserting ``subsection and, with respect to a determination 
     to close a post office located in a rural area, as defined by 
     the Census Bureau, including such a post office that has been 
     damaged or completely destroyed by fire, a summary of the 
     determinations required under paragraph (4).'';
       (3) by redesignating paragraphs (4), (5), and (6) as 
     paragraph (5), (6), and (7), respectively;
       (4) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:
       ``(4) The Postal Service may not make a determination under 
     subsection (a)(3) to close a post office located in a rural 
     area, as defined by the Census Bureau, including such a post 
     office that has been damaged or completely destroyed by fire, 
     unless the Postal Service--
       ``(A)(i) determines that postal customers served by the 
     post office would continue after the closing to receive 
     substantially similar access to essential items, such as 
     prescription medications and time-sensitive communications, 
     that are sent through the mail; or
       ``(ii) takes action to substantially ameliorate any 
     projected reduction in access to essential items described in 
     clause (i); and
       ``(B) determines that--
       ``(i) businesses located in the community served by the 
     post office would not suffer substantial financial loss as a 
     result of the closing;
       ``(ii) any economic loss to the community served by the 
     post office as a result of the closing does not exceed the 
     cost to the Postal Service of not closing the post office;
       ``(iii) the area served by the post office has adequate 
     access to wired broadband internet service, as identified on 
     the National Broadband Map of the National Telecommunications 
     and Information Administration; and

[[Page S956]]

       ``(iv) there is a road connecting the community to another 
     post office that is not more than 10 miles from the post 
     office proposed to be closed (as measured on roads with year-
     round access).''; and
       (5) in paragraph (7), as so redesignated, by striking 
     ``(5)'' and inserting ``(6)''.
       (b) Moratorium on Closing Rural Post Offices.--
       (1) In general.--Notwithstanding section 404(d) of title 
     39, United States Code, during the 1-year period beginning on 
     the date of enactment of this Act, the Postal Service may not 
     close a post office located in a rural area, as defined by 
     the Census Bureau, including such a post office that has been 
     damaged or completely destroyed by fire, except as required 
     for the immediate protection of health and safety, or unless 
     there is no significant community opposition to such closure.
       (2) Rule of construction.--Nothing in paragraph (1) shall 
     be construed to limit the authority of the Postal Service to 
     implement cost-saving measures with respect to the post 
     offices described in that paragraph.
                                 ______