S 155

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IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

January 21, 2025

Mr. Crapo (for himself, Mr. Risch, and Mr. Schatz) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

A BILL

To improve communication between the United States Postal Service and local communities relating to the relocation and establishment of Postal Service retail service facilities, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Mandating Advisable and Informed Locations and Solutions Act” or the “MAILS Act”.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) Post office.—The term “post office”—

(A) means a facility that—

(i) is owned or leased by the Postal Service;

(ii) is managed by a Postmaster;

(iii) has responsibility for—

(I) customer services;

(II) local delivery; and

(III) receipt and dispatch of all classes of mail; and

(iv) may have responsibility for processing and distribution of mail for other such facilities in the surrounding geographic area; and

(B) includes a remotely managed post office, a part-time post office, and an administrative post office.

(2) Postal service.—The term “Postal Service” means the United States Postal Service.

(3) Temporary relocation.—The term “temporary relocation” means a temporary relocation of retail services from a post office to support Postal Service business for a holiday, special event, or overflow business, as described in paragraph (a)(2)(i) of section 241.4 of title 39, Code of Federal Regulations.

SEC. 3. REQUESTS FOR NEW POST OFFICES.

Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Postal Service shall establish by regulation a formal process for a local government official to request a new post office within the locality.

SEC. 4. COMMUNICATION RELATING TO POST OFFICE RELOCATION.

The Postal Service shall amend section 241.4 of title 39, Code of Federal Regulations, to provide the following:

(1) Community input.—The Postal Service may not implement a temporary relocation, including for a commemorative event, for a period longer than 2 days without collecting and considering community input under paragraph (c) of that section.

(2) Notification.—

(A) Elected officials.—Not later than 30 days before the date of a temporary relocation, the Postal Service shall—

(i) submit to 1 or more local elected officials in the area in which the affected post office is located a written outline of the proposal; and

(ii) offer to discuss the proposal with the elected official under paragraph (c) of that section.

(B) Public presentation.—The Postal Service shall—

(i) not later than 15 days before the date of a temporary relocation, provide public notice of the temporary relocation in the area in which the affected post office is located; and

(ii) not later than 15 days after providing notice to local elected officials under subparagraph (A)(i), hold a public presentation under paragraph (c) of that section.

(3) Periodic updates.—Not later than 60 days after the end of the initial 30-day comment period under paragraph (c) of that section, and every 60 days thereafter until the date that is 60 days after the last day of a temporary relocation, the Postal Service shall submit to relevant local government officials updates on the status of the temporary relocation.

SEC. 5. REPORT.

(a) Report Required.—With respect to any temporary relocation for a period that is longer than 180 days (whether due to the originally projected length of the relocation or due to an extension), not later than 30 days after the first day of the temporary relocation (or of the extension that caused the length of the relocation to exceed 180 days, if applicable), the Postal Service shall submit a report relating to the temporary relocation or extension to—

(1) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate;

(2) the Committee on Oversight and Accountability of the House of Representatives; and

(3) the members of Congress who represent the congressional district or State in which the affected post office is located.

(b) Contents of Report.—Each report described in subsection (a) shall include a discussion of—

(1) whether the communication requirements were met within the required timelines, and if not, an explanation for the failure to comply with the requirements; and

(2) whether the period of the temporary relocation is being extended, and if so, an explanation for the extension. <all>