POSTAL Act

The POSTAL Act would prohibit the United States Postal Service (USPS) from closing, consolidating, downgrading, or taking other similar actions with respect to any processing and distribution center in a state if the action would result in that state having no processing and distribution center at all. In effect, it requires that every state (including the District of Columbia) retain at least one USPS processing and distribution center. The bill provides definitions of what counts as a processing and distribution center and clarifies that “State” includes all 50 states plus DC. Introduced in the House on February 13, 2025 by Rep. Hageman (joined by Rep. Pappas) and referred to the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, the measure aims to preserve local USPS processing capacity and access to mail services by preventing certain closures or consolidations. Potential impact includes constraining the USPS’s ability to optimize its network for efficiency or cost savings. While it could protect local access to mail service and potentially reduce disruptions in some communities, it may also limit beneficial consolidations or reconfigurations that could improve overall service reliability or reduce costs, potentially leading to higher operating expenses and slower adaptation to changing mail volumes. The text provided does not specify enforcement mechanisms or exemptions.