Senators Call on Leaders to Pass Postal Reform Bill

"...The letter does not ask the House to approve the Senate-passed bill, S. 1789, but does indicate that the senators clearly prefer their bill as a way forward. The senators said that rather than risk USPS closures, their bill would give the service access to money it has overpaid into its retirement fund, and use that money to encourage the retirement of 100,000 workers, which would lead to long-term savings...

The Senate bill, which passed last week in a 62-37 vote, is very different from the leading House GOP bill, H.R. 2309. That proposal, from House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), would set up a commission to recommend closures, authorize USPS to move to a five-day delivery system, and end a current rule that prohibits the closure of an office solely because it's operating at a deficit..."

Read more at thehill.com

Senate Approved Postal Reform Bill

"...The Senate approved a bipartisan bill Wednesday aiming to restructure the cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service, clearing the way for a massive reduction in the agency's workforce.

The final bill, passed by the Senate in a 62-37 vote, refunds to USPS overpayments it made to the federal retirement system. That will allow the agency to pay for buyouts for some 100,000 retirement-eligible employees. The bill also allows USPS to negotiate with its unions about moving postal employees out of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan and into a separate insurance program..."

Read more at FederalNewsRadio.com"

Forced Retirement Amendment Voted Down in Senate

"...A measure that would have required eligible postal service employees to retire without buyout incentives failed in the Senate on Tuesday. The amendment, introduced this week by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., would have reduced the cash-strapped agency’s expenses by reducing its large percentage of retirement-eligible workers. It failed in a 33-65 vote..."

Read more at GovExec.com

Postal Reform Bill Amendment Would Address OPM Backlog

"...An amendment to a Senate bill restructuring the U.S. Postal Service's financial framework would institute new agency reporting requirements for retiring federal workers, anticipating a "deluge of retirees," from USPS.

Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), introduced last week an amendment to the 21st Century Postal Service Act of 2012 (S. 1789), that requires the Office of Personnel Management to take new steps to chip away at a longstanding backlog of federal retirement claims.

In a floor speech Monday, Warner said his office has received hundreds of requests from federal retirees who have faced long waits and "inordinate hardship ... while their retirement paperwork moves through the system."

The amendment requires OPM to submit monthly public reports to lawmakers and the Government Accountability Office evaluating USPS retirement claims — for timeliness, completeness and accuracy — compared to other federal agencies..."

Read more at FederalNewsRadio.com

Senator's Amendment Would Force USPS Retirements

"...Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., is shepherding a few amendments to S. 1789, including one that would force the Postal Service to dismiss workers who are eligible for retirement to reduce expenses. The legislation in its current form allows USPS to offer buyouts to eligible employees to reduce personnel costs, but Coburn believes requiring eligible workers to retire is a smarter and more cost-effective downsizing strategy...

The amendment would apply only to postal employees currently eligible to receive a full pension under the Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees Retirement System. Coburn cited mandatory retirement for federal law enforcement officers as a potential model for the Postal Service..."

Read more at GovExec.com

USPS Plans While Senate Takes on Postal Reform

"...USPS already has started considering how it would operate with a slimmed-down workforce. Tony Vegliante, chief human capital officer for the Postal Service, said there are three ways it is trying to reduce the number of employees: Attrition, control hiring and voluntary separation incentives.

Vegliante said the Postal Service has received voluntary early retirement authority (VERA) from the Office of Personnel Management. However, it has not yet started offering any buyouts or early outs, he added.

"We've got to see what's happening with our various operational plans, but I think within the near future we will make a decision," ..."

Read more at FederalNewsRadio.com