Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)
Protect Postal Performance Act
A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Protect Postal Performance Act aims to change how the United States Postal Service handles the closing or merging of post offices and processing centers. It requires the Postal Service to hold public hearings and publish summaries of public feedback before closing a post office. The bill also sets specific rules that prevent certain post offices from being closed, such as those that are isolated or serve large populations. Additionally, it places restrictions on changes to mail processing facilities and distribution centers. These new rules require advisory opinions from the Postal Regulatory Commission before changes can happen. Finally, it limits transportation optimization efforts that would reduce mail pickup or delivery frequency.
Yes· 3 of 6
- Scored +6
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
The bill specifically protects post offices and distribution centers in isolated and non-contiguous regions, which primarily benefits rural residents.
- Scored +5
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill mandates public hearings and the publication of hearing summaries on the Postal Service website.
- Scored +2
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
Protecting local post offices ensures that low-income households maintain access to essential mail and communication services.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill restricts the Postal Service's ability to optimize operations, which may prevent future cost-saving measures.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Public Transparency: The bill requires the Postal Service to hold public hearings—which can be attended in-person or virtually—regarding the closure or consolidation of post offices (Section 2). This allows people to have a voice in the process.
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Public Accountability via Reporting: After a hearing, the Postal Service must publish a summary on its website that includes descriptions of comments and the percentage of those comments that were in support or against the action (Section 2).
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Protection for Isolated or High-Population Areas: Post offices cannot be closed if they are not within 15 miles of another post office or if they are the closest option for a population of 15,000 or more (Section 2).
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Protection for Geographically Isolated Regions: The bill prevents the closure or consolidation of processing and distribution centers if it would leave a non-contiguous region of a State (one separated by water or land) without such a center, provided it has more than 100,000 residents (Section 3(a)).
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Safeguards for Mail Delivery Speed: If the Postal Regulatory Commission finds that proposed changes will slow down on-time mail delivery, the Postal Service must publish a report on how it will ensure mail stays on time, and it cannot implement the changes for 180 days (Section 3(b)(4)).
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Protection for Struggling Districts: The Postal Service is prohibited from moving operations out of districts that failed to meet specific on-time delivery benchmarks for first-class mail in the previous year (Section 3(d)).
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Consistency in Mail Collection/Delivery: The bill prevents transportation optimization efforts that would decrease the number of times mail is picked up or dropped off at any post office (Section 418(a)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Delays in Operational Changes: The bill introduces several waiting periods, such as preventing post office closures until 180 days after a summary is published (Section 2), and requiring a 180-day waiting period after a report regarding slow mail delivery is published (Section 3(b)(4)).
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Increased Bureaucracy: The Postal Service must now wait for advisory opinions from the Postal Regulatory Commission before implementing changes to mail processing facilities (Section 3(b)(1)).
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Restrictions on Efficiency Efforts: The Postal Service is prohibited from carrying out the Mail Processing Facility Review or using Federal funds for it (Section 3(c)). Additionally, local or regional transportation optimization efforts cannot proceed if the Postal Regulatory Commission does not recommend them (Section 418(c)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill specifically protects post offices and distribution centers in isolated and non-contiguous regions, which primarily benefits rural residents. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Protecting local post offices ensures that low-income households maintain access to essential mail and communication services.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates public hearings and the publication of hearing summaries on the Postal Service website.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this improve buses, trains and other public transport? — The bill maintains the frequency of mail pickup and delivery services, which functions as a critical logistical infrastructure.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make housing cost less? — By protecting post office accessibility in isolated areas, the bill helps maintain essential services for residents.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — By preventing the closure of post offices and distribution centers, the bill helps maintain existing postal jobs. Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill restricts the Postal Service's ability to optimize operations, which may prevent future cost-saving measures.
- 1/15/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Marsha BlackburnRepublican · Tennessee