Bill > S316

This bill, known as the Postal Service Protection Act of 2013, aims to reform the United States Postal Service (USPS) by recalculating its retirement annuity obligations to ensure accuracy and potentially restore funds. It also eliminates the requirement for the USPS to pre-fund its retiree health benefits, which means the USPS will no longer need to set aside money in advance for future retiree health costs, thereby freeing up immediate funds. The bill imposes restrictions on the closure of postal facilities, requiring more thorough investigations and community input before any decisions are made, and establishes a process for reviewing actual cost savings from such closures. Furthermore, it introduces incentives for innovation within the USPS by allowing it to offer a wider range of nonpostal services and products, such as check-cashing and technology services, and by establishing a Chief Innovation Officer and a Postal Innovation Advisory Commission to explore new revenue streams. Finally, the bill mandates the maintenance of current postal service levels, specifically ensuring six-day mail delivery and preventing any increase in the expected delivery time for standard postal products.