Protect Postal Performance Act
Sponsored By: Representative Budzinski
Introduced
Summary
Protect local postal access and delivery reliability. This bill would limit when the U.S. Postal Service can close or consolidate post offices and processing centers by adding public hearings, distance and population gates, and new outside review requirements to guard on-time delivery.
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- Rural and urban communities: Post offices could not be closed or consolidated if they are not within 15 miles of another office or if they are the closest office for a population of 15,000 or more. The bill would also require a mandatory 60-day public hearing and then wait 180 days after the hearing summary before closures proceed.
- Processing and distribution centers: Major changes would need an advisory opinion from the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) with a deadline of 120 business days. If the PRC says changes would slow delivery, USPS must publish a plan and wait 180 days before acting. The bill also bans the Mail Processing Facility Review program.
- Transportation and delivery performance: The bill blocks local and regional transportation optimization that reduces pick-ups or drop-offs without a PRC opinion. It also bars changes in districts that missed at least 93% two-day on-time delivery or 90.3% three- to five-day delivery in the prior year.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Independent review before processing center changes
If enacted, USPS would need an advisory opinion from the Postal Regulatory Commission before changing how processing centers operate. The Commission would have up to 120 business days and must issue an opinion for each affected center. If the Commission finds a change would slow on-time delivery, USPS would have to post a plan and wait 180 days before acting. The bill would also bar USPS from carrying out the Mail Processing Facility Review or any successor program, and block federal funds for it.
Keep centers in failing or isolated areas
If enacted, USPS could not close, consolidate, or move operations from a processing center in any district that missed on-time delivery targets in the prior year. The targets are at least 93% on time for two-day first-class mail and at least 90.3% for three- to five-day first-class mail. USPS also could not remove a center if that would leave a separated region of a State, with over 100,000 residents, without any center. The bill defines which facilities count as processing and distribution centers and defines State to include the 50 states and D.C.
No cuts to post office pickups or drop-offs
If enacted, USPS could not reduce how often mail is picked up or dropped off at any post office under local or regional optimization plans. USPS would have to seek a Postal Regulatory Commission opinion before changing pickup or drop-off schedules. If the Commission does not recommend the change, USPS could not move forward with those optimization changes anywhere in the U.S.
Stronger guardrails on closing local post offices
If enacted, certain post offices could not be closed. A closure would be barred if no other post office is within 15 miles, or if it is the closest office for 15,000 or more people. For any proposed closure or consolidation, USPS would have to hold a public hearing during the 60-day comment period, with in-person or virtual attendance. USPS would have to post a hearing summary within 7 days showing comments and the share for and against. USPS could not close the office until 180 days after that summary is posted.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Budzinski
IL • D
Cosponsors
Hageman
WY • R
Sponsored 3/14/2025
Golden (ME)
ME • D
Sponsored 3/14/2025
Bergman
MI • R
Sponsored 3/14/2025
Pappas
NH • D
Sponsored 3/14/2025
Craig
MN • D
Sponsored 3/24/2025
Fitzpatrick
PA • R
Sponsored 3/24/2025
Cohen
TN • D
Sponsored 4/9/2025
Suozzi
NY • D
Sponsored 5/13/2025
Neguse
CO • D
Sponsored 6/3/2025
Clarke (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 8/15/2025
Sorensen
IL • D
Sponsored 9/11/2025
Schmidt
KS • R
Sponsored 9/17/2025
Bell
MO • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
McDonald Rivet
MI • D
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Scanlon
PA • D
Sponsored 3/24/2026
DelBene
WA • D
Sponsored 3/24/2026
Bishop
GA • D
Sponsored 3/24/2026
Omar
MN • D
Sponsored 3/24/2026
Pingree
ME • D
Sponsored 3/24/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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