USPS Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 4633
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-07-23: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
- Last Updated
- 2025-10-25T08:05:43Z
AI-Generated Summary
H.R. 4633: Upending Secret Postal Shutdowns Act (USPS Act)
Purpose
This bill amends title 39 of the United States Code to require the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to follow specific notification and review steps when a post office temporarily closes due to an emergency. The goal is to increase transparency and public input around such closures.
Key Provisions
- Immediate public notice: On the first day of any emergency suspension, USPS must post a physical sign at the location and publish a notice on its public website.
- Notification to officials: Within five days, USPS must inform relevant elected officials with details on the reason for the closure, temporary mail delivery arrangements, and the expected reopening date.
- Relevant officials defined: These include the U.S. House member for the district, U.S. Senators for the state, and the head of any local government unit serving the area.
- Longer suspensions:
- After 30 days: A 30-day public comment period opens for residents and officials.
- After 60 days: The Postal Regulatory Commission reviews the closure, and USPS must start relocating operations using existing relocation rules, including local government input and another 30-day public comment period on any new site.
- Emergency planning: Each postmaster, in consultation with the Postmaster General, must create a written action plan for handling emergency closures.
- Annual reporting: Starting in 2026, USPS must submit a yearly report to Congress listing each emergency closure, its location, duration, and cause.
- "Emergency" definition: Includes natural disasters, lease terminations, staff shortages, major building damage without alternatives, health or safety issues, mold, mail security problems, or inadequate safeguards.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
The bill adds a new subsection (f) to Section 404 of title 39, U.S. Code. This introduces mandatory timelines, notifications, and review processes that did not previously exist for emergency post office suspensions.
Potential Impacts
- On government agencies: USPS must adopt new operational procedures and reporting; the Postal Regulatory Commission gains a review role after 60 days.
- On citizens: Residents gain earlier awareness of closures and opportunities to comment on long-term ones, potentially improving access to mail services.
- On local and federal officials: Members of Congress and local leaders receive formal notice and input opportunities.
No direct effects on international relations are addressed.
Main Stakeholders
- U.S. Postal Service and its postmasters
- Postal Regulatory Commission
- Members of Congress and U.S. Senators
- Local government officials
- Residents and businesses served by affected post offices
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
The legislation promotes greater government transparency and public participation in federal agency decisions without altering constitutional powers or creating new regulatory authority beyond existing USPS oversight structures.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (5)
Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14], Rep. Graves, Sam [R-MO-6], Rep. LaMalfa, Doug [R-CA-1], Rep. Harshbarger, Diana [R-TN-1], Rep. Burchett, Tim [R-TN-2]
Recent Actions
- 2025-07-23: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
- 2025-07-23: Introduced in House
- 2025-07-23: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Upending Secret Postal Shutdowns Act — issued 2025-07-23 — PDF (4 pages)