Bill > S3657

This bill, titled the "Protect Postal Performance Act," modifies procedures for the United States Postal Service (USPS) regarding the closure or consolidation of post offices and processing and distribution centers. For post offices, the bill mandates a public hearing, which can be attended in-person or virtually, before a closure or consolidation can occur, and requires a summary of public comments to be published online within seven days of the hearing, with the closure or consolidation unable to take effect for 180 days after the summary's publication. Additionally, a post office cannot be closed or consolidated if it is located more than 15 miles from any other post office or if it serves as the closest post office for 15,000 or more people. For processing and distribution centers, the bill prohibits their closure or consolidation if it would leave a state without such a center in a geographically non-contiguous region (an area separated from the main part of the state by water or another state's land) with over 100,000 residents. Furthermore, any changes to mail processing facilities require an advisory opinion from the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC), with a 120-business-day deadline for the PRC to issue its opinion; if the PRC determines changes will slow mail delivery, the USPS must publish a report on how it will maintain on-time delivery, and the changes cannot be implemented for 180 days after the report's publication. The bill also prohibits the USPS from carrying out its Mail Processing Facility Review or any successor program and prevents the closure or consolidation of processing and distribution centers in districts that failed to meet specific on-time delivery rates for first-class mail in the preceding year. Finally, the bill restricts local and regional transportation optimization efforts that would decrease mail pickup or drop-off frequency at post offices, requiring a PRC opinion before changes to schedules can be made, and prohibiting such efforts if the PRC does not recommend them.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3657/all-info