Senate Considers First Round of Amendments to S. 1789

Debate and Voting Set to Continue on April 25th

(Tuesday, April 24, 2012) As the Senate finally reached its end-game on consideration of S. 1789, and moments before it was set to move through the much-anticipated debate and voting on amendments to the bill, an attempt was made to completely derail consideration of the bill on a procedural point of order.   Senator Sessions (R-AL) claimed that S. 1789, if passed, would violate the Budget Control Act in that the costs associated with the bill would exceed the statutory debt limit in the unified budget.  Despite the clearly unique accounting arrangements surrounding the USPS in it capacity as a quasi-federal agency, and despite the clearly demonstrated fact that no tax dollars are authorized or appropriated by S. 1789, Senator Sessions and his allies led the charge to kill the bill in its tracks.  Fortunately, the Senate defeated this obstructionist effort by passing a waiver to the point of order by a vote of 62-37.

From there, the Senate resumed its fast-paced consideration of amendments brought to the floor during today’s session.  The Senate acted on a total of 15 amendments today, and is scheduled to resume debate and votes on the remaining amendments tomorrow at 2:00 pm (Eastern).  The NPMHU leadership and legislative team will continue to analyze the results of this process, and will prepare further comment as the debate and voting unfolds.

During today’s session, the following amendments were adopted.  Language in some of these amendments was changed immediately prior to consideration by the full Senate.  As such, the exact language in the approved amendments isn’t known at this point

1. By voice vote, an amendment from Senator Tester (D-MT) (# 2056) allowing for more community participation in the decision process for closing or consolidating post offices and postal facilities.  The amendment also gives the Postal Regulatory Commission authority to “affirm or reverse” the determination of the Postal Service;
2. By voice vote, an amendment from Senator Coburn (R-OK) (#2060) which places certain restrictions and dollar limits for funding of all government agency conferences;
3. By voice vote, an amendment from Senators Wyden (D-OR) and Feinstein (D-CA) (#2020) which seeks to ensure access to vote by mail and “no excuse” voting, particularly during this transition period for the USPS;
4. By voice vote, an amendment from Senator Coburn (R-OK) (#2058) which encourages co-locating postal services within commercial or government entities;
5. By voice vote, an amendment from Senators McCaskill (D-MO) and Merkley (D-OR) (#2031) which allows for a one-year period before closing any rural post offices, and imposes standards for ultimate closure;
6. By voice vote, an amendment from Senator Snowe (R-ME) (#2080) allowing appeal to the PRC of USPS decisions to close or consolidate a mail processing facility, and requiring independent third party verification of methodology and savings suggested by USPS Area Mail Processing Studies;
7. By voice vote, an amendment from Senator Durbin (D-IL) (#2082) to protect from closure certain facilities having demonstrated continued operational efficiency; and
8. By voice vote, an amendment from Senators Bennett (D-CO) and Blunt (R-MO) allowing for community advocates in the facility closure process, and allowing for additional services to be provided by the USPS (passports, etc).

Amendments rejected by the Senate during today’s session included the following:

1. Rejected by a roll call vote of 30-69 (#2033), an amendment from Senator McCain (R-AZ) to create a Reorganization Commission, modeled after the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission;
2. Rejected by a roll call vote of 33-65 (#2061), an amendment from Senator Coburn (R-OK) to give the Postmaster General authority after two years to force retirement eligible employees to leave employment with the USPS;
3. Rejected by a roll call vote of 43-56 (#2043), an amendment from Senator Udall (D-NM) to strike the bill’s provision to allow USPS to implement five-day delivery after two years;
4. Rejected by a roll call vote of 46-53 (#2034), an amendment from Senator Akaka (D-HI) to replace the bill’s workers’ compensation provisions with previously-approved bi-partisan legislation approved by the House of Representatives;
5. Rejected by a roll call vote of 29-70 (#2083), an amendment from Senator Corker (R-TN) to allow the immediate move to 5-day delivery, and to make other changes to rates and workforce;
6. Rejected by a vote of 57-42 (#2049), an amendment from Senator Akaka (D-HI) which would have prevented USPS management from modifying, reducing, or eliminating benefits outside of the current consultation process; and
7. Rejected by a vote of 33-64 (#2025), an amendment from Senator Paul (R-KY) to end the mailbox monopoly.

The NPMHU will continue to monitor and react to decisions affecting this and other postal legislation.  Be sure to follow this matter on the NPMHU website.