Postal Service Reform Act of 2022
Sponsored By: Representative Rep. Maloney, Carolyn B. [D-NY-12]
Became Law
Summary
Postal Service Health Benefits Program creates a USPS-specific health plan inside the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and pairs that change with Medicare coordination and stronger postal oversight. The law also lets USPS offer new nonpostal services to raise revenue and requires much more public performance and cost transparency.
Show full summary
- USPS employees and annuitants get a dedicated FEHB program with standard enrollment choices (self, self plus one, self and family), a transitional open season, and Medicare rules that include a special six-month Part B enrollment window beginning April 1, 2024 with coverage starting January 1, 2025; most Medicare-covered annuitants must have Part A and Part B to enroll, with specific grandfathered exceptions.
- State, local, and tribal governments can buy property or nonpostal services from USPS for public, noncommercial purposes if the agreements reimburse at least 100 percent of attributable costs each year and follow new public posting and Governor-approval rules.
- Oversight and performance changes require a weekly public dashboard, a PRC review of cost attribution, an Inspector General audit of PRC data, a Flats operations study with a 6-month remediation plan, and specified FY2022 funding: $7.5 million to CMS, $16.0 million to SSA, and $70.5 million to OPM.
*The law provides $94.0 million in FY2022 to federal agencies and requires USPS to deposit an equal amount into the Treasury, making the FY2022 transactions roughly budget-neutral.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 4 mixed.
New USPS health plan and Medicare help
The law creates a Postal Service health plan inside the federal employees’ system. Coverage starts with the contract year that begins in January 2025. You can enroll as self, self plus one, or family. A special Medicare Part B sign‑up runs for six months starting April 1, 2024; coverage for those who enroll starts January 1, 2025. USPS pays the Part B late‑enrollment premium increases for eligible people. OPM sets plan rates each year by October 1 (starting in 2024) and runs the program. USPS must run a health benefits education program within 18 months. For rollout, Congress provided $7.5 million to CMS, $16 million to SSA, and $70.5 million to OPM, and USPS deposits an equal amount into the Treasury in FY2022.
Six-day delivery and more reliable transport
The Postal Service must deliver at least six days a week under one integrated network. Exceptions apply for weeks with a federal holiday, emergencies, or places that already had fewer than six days. USPS must also choose transportation that is prompt, economical, consistent, reliable, and cost‑effective, and move mail in ways that increase efficiency and reduce complexity. This does not change how rates are set or costs are accounted for.
More USPS performance reports and fixes
USPS must set yearly targets for each major product and run a public, interactive dashboard with weekly updates. The site shows product and local performance, compares past periods, lets you search by address, and offers open, downloadable data. The Postmaster General must send a detailed operations and finance report within 240 days of enactment and every six months after; this ends five years after the first report. The PRC must study why Flats mail is inefficient within one year. USPS must give access, then within six months make a PRC‑approved fix plan or explain why it is not practical. USPS must consider the study when setting rates for five years.
Review of postal cost allocation rules
Within one year of enactment, the Postal Regulatory Commission must review how it assigns costs to market‑dominant and competitive products. It must take public comment and can change or adopt new methods if needed.
Stronger funding rules for retiree health
OPM must compute each year, starting by June 30, 2026, if government contributions exceeded retiree health claims. USPS must pay any excess into the Retiree Health Benefits Fund by September 30. OPM now uses net‑present‑value methods and assumptions like other federal plans and can set a health care trend rate, with rules issued after consulting USPS. Any unpaid retiree‑health payments required under prior law are canceled as of enactment. If USPS ever permanently ceases operations, sale proceeds must first pay employee salaries and expenses; any remaining funds go to the Retiree Health Benefits Fund.
Changes to postal oversight and budgets
After 180 days, the PRC Inspector General merges into the USPS Inspector General, who oversees both USPS and PRC; existing orders continue unless changed. The PRC must send its annual budget to USPS by September 1; the Governors have 30 days to unanimously change the total, and approved PRC expenses are paid from the Postal Service Fund. Some appointments now need approval by a majority of Governors and a majority of PRC members, starting 180 days after enactment. The law also removes subsection (h) of 39 U.S.C. 504 on the same timeline. A severability clause says if one part of the law is struck down, the rest stays in place.
USPS can offer some government services
USPS may offer nonpostal services for public, non‑commercial uses to state, local, and tribal governments and other agencies. Each agreement must repay at least 100% of its attributable costs each year and must not harm mail operations. The Governors must approve programs by public vote, and USPS must post each agreement and its business plan within 90 days. The PRC reviews annual reports and can order fixes or fines, and the Inspector General audits the data systems.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Rep. Maloney, Carolyn B. [D-NY-12]
NY • D
Cosponsors
Connolly
VA • D
Sponsored 5/11/2021
Foxx
NC • R
Sponsored 5/11/2021
Comer
KY • R
Sponsored 5/11/2021
Lynch
MA • D
Sponsored 5/18/2021
Rep. Lawrence, Brenda L. [D-MI-14]
MI • D
Sponsored 5/18/2021
Huffman
CA • D
Sponsored 5/25/2021
Thompson (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 5/25/2021
Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]
AK • R
Sponsored 5/25/2021
Tenney
NY • R
Sponsored 5/25/2021
Rep. Napolitano, Grace F. [D-CA-32]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/4/2021
Malliotakis
NY • R
Sponsored 6/4/2021
Rep. Kahele, Kaiali'i [D-HI-2]
HI • D
Sponsored 6/4/2021
Stefanik
NY • R
Sponsored 6/4/2021
Larsen (WA)
WA • D
Sponsored 6/4/2021
Garbarino
NY • R
Sponsored 6/4/2021
Soto
FL • D
Sponsored 6/15/2021
Rep. LaTurner, Jake [R-KS-2]
KS • R
Sponsored 6/15/2021
Case
HI • D
Sponsored 6/15/2021
Grothman
WI • R
Sponsored 6/15/2021
Harder (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 6/15/2021
Mace
SC • R
Sponsored 6/15/2021
Suozzi
NY • D
Sponsored 6/17/2021
Bacon
NE • R
Sponsored 6/17/2021
Horsford
NV • D
Sponsored 6/17/2021
Valadao
CA • R
Sponsored 6/17/2021
Nadler
NY • D
Sponsored 6/24/2021
Mast
FL • R
Sponsored 6/24/2021
Espaillat
NY • D
Sponsored 6/24/2021
Reschenthaler
PA • R
Sponsored 6/24/2021
Rep. Kildee, Daniel T. [D-MI-5]
MI • D
Sponsored 6/24/2021
Bost
IL • R
Sponsored 6/24/2021
Khanna
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2021
Smith (NJ)
NJ • R
Sponsored 6/24/2021
Titus
NV • D
Sponsored 6/29/2021
Rep. Gibbs, Bob [R-OH-7]
OH • R
Sponsored 6/29/2021
Kaptur
OH • D
Sponsored 6/29/2021
Van Drew
NJ • R
Sponsored 6/29/2021
Rep. Manning, Kathy E. [D-NC-6]
NC • D
Sponsored 6/29/2021
Rep. Davis, Rodney [R-IL-13]
IL • R
Sponsored 6/29/2021
Rep. Higgins, Brian [D-NY-26]
NY • D
Sponsored 7/9/2021
Simpson
ID • R
Sponsored 7/9/2021
Cohen
TN • D
Sponsored 7/9/2021
Rep. Gonzalez, Anthony [R-OH-16]
OH • R
Sponsored 7/9/2021
Crow
CO • D
Sponsored 7/13/2021
Rep. Katko, John [R-NY-24]
NY • R
Sponsored 7/13/2021
Foster
IL • D
Sponsored 7/13/2021
Strickland
WA • D
Sponsored 7/13/2021
Rep. Roybal-Allard, Lucille [D-CA-40]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/13/2021
DeLauro
CT • D
Sponsored 7/13/2021
Ruben Gallego
AZ • D
Sponsored 7/13/2021
Rep. Cooper, Jim [D-TN-5]
TN • D
Sponsored 7/13/2021
Schakowsky
IL • D
Sponsored 7/13/2021
Ocasio-Cortez
NY • D
Sponsored 7/13/2021
Meng
NY • D
Sponsored 7/13/2021
Fitzpatrick
PA • R
Sponsored 7/20/2021
Craig
MN • D
Sponsored 7/20/2021
Hayes
CT • D
Sponsored 7/20/2021
Waters
CA • D
Sponsored 7/20/2021
Dingell
MI • D
Sponsored 7/20/2021
Gottheimer
NJ • D
Sponsored 7/20/2021
Owens
UT • R
Sponsored 7/20/2021
Rep. Burgess, Michael C. [R-TX-26]
TX • R
Sponsored 9/10/2021
Neguse
CO • D
Sponsored 9/10/2021
Joyce (OH)
OH • R
Sponsored 9/10/2021
Morelle
NY • D
Sponsored 9/10/2021
Sherrill
NJ • D
Sponsored 9/10/2021
McCaul
TX • R
Sponsored 9/21/2021
Garcia (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 9/21/2021
Rep. Sires, Albio [D-NJ-8]
NJ • D
Sponsored 9/21/2021
Rep. Garcia, Mike [R-CA-25]
CA • R
Sponsored 9/21/2021
Rep. Jones, Mondaire [D-NY-17]
NY • D
Sponsored 9/21/2021
Rep. Granger, Kay [R-TX-12]
TX • R
Sponsored 9/21/2021
Rep. Newman, Marie [D-IL-3]
IL • D
Sponsored 9/21/2021
Rep. Armstrong, Kelly [R-ND-At Large]
ND • R
Sponsored 9/21/2021
Rep. Bass, Karen [D-CA-37]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/30/2021
Rep. Kinzinger, Adam [R-IL-16]
IL • R
Sponsored 9/30/2021
Rep. Wild, Susan [D-PA-7]
PA • D
Sponsored 9/30/2021
Hudson
NC • R
Sponsored 9/30/2021
Rep. Porter, Katie [D-CA-45]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/30/2021
Sessions
TX • R
Sponsored 9/30/2021
Rep. Butterfield, G. K. [D-NC-1]
NC • D
Sponsored 9/30/2021
Rep. Fortenberry, Jeff [R-NE-1]
NE • R
Sponsored 9/30/2021
Norcross
NJ • D
Sponsored 9/30/2021
Rogers (AL)
AL • R
Sponsored 9/30/2021
Krishnamoorthi
IL • D
Sponsored 10/22/2021
Rouzer
NC • R
Sponsored 10/22/2021
Rep. Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch [D-MD-2]
MD • D
Sponsored 10/22/2021
Rep. Cawthorn, Madison [R-NC-11]
NC • R
Sponsored 10/22/2021
Lofgren
CA • D
Sponsored 11/1/2021
Graves
MO • R
Sponsored 11/1/2021
Rep. Lowenthal, Alan S. [D-CA-47]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/1/2021
Rep. Upton, Fred [R-MI-6]
MI • R
Sponsored 11/1/2021
Rep. Lawson, Al, Jr. [D-FL-5]
FL • D
Sponsored 12/1/2021
Rep. Bucshon, Larry [R-IN-8]
IN • R
Sponsored 12/1/2021
Schneider
IL • D
Sponsored 12/1/2021
Gonzales, Tony
TX • R
Sponsored 12/1/2021
Rep. Axne, Cynthia [D-IA-3]
IA • D
Sponsored 12/1/2021
Kim
CA • R
Sponsored 12/1/2021
Murphy
NC • R
Sponsored 12/13/2021
Courtney
CT • D
Sponsored 12/13/2021
Rep. Eshoo, Anna G. [D-CA-18]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/14/2021
Spartz
IN • R
Sponsored 12/14/2021
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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