Easy Access to Mail Act

I 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1102 To amend title 39, United States Code, to establish rules and procedures for the United States Postal Service regarding the use of centralized delivery of the mail with respect to residential housing units, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 18, 2021 Mr. BURCHETT (for himself, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. SMITH of Missouri, Mr. KUSTOFF, Mr. YOUNG, and Mr. BROOKS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Re- form A BILL To amend title 39, United States Code, to establish rules and procedures for the United States Postal Service re- garding the use of centralized delivery of the mail with respect to residential housing units, and for other pur- poses. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Easy Access to Mail 4 Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:53 Mar 12, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1102.IH H1102 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 1102 IH SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON CENTRALIZED DELIVERY FOR CER- 1 TAIN RESIDENTIAL HOUSING UNITS. 2 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter VII of chapter 36 of 3 title 39, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 4 end the following: 5 ‘‘§ 3692. Limitation on centralized delivery 6 ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 7 ‘‘(1) the term ‘centralized delivery’ means a pri- 8 mary mode of mail delivery whereby mail receptacles 9 of a number of delivery points are grouped or clus- 10 tered at a single location; 11 ‘‘(2) the term ‘primary mode of mail delivery’ 12 means the typical method by which the Postal Serv- 13 ice delivers letter mail to the delivery point of a 14 postal patron; and 15 ‘‘(3) the term ‘housing development’ means any 16 single-family residential home or townhouse, but 17 does not include any multi-home apartment or con- 18 dominium building. 19 ‘‘(b) RETROACTIVE CHANGE TO MODE OF DELIVERY 20 PROHIBITED.—For any housing development with respect 21 to which the primary mode of mail delivery is any such 22 mode except for centralized delivery on the date of the en- 23 actment of this section, the Postal Service may not change 24 such mode of delivery to centralized delivery. 25 ‘‘(c) APPROVAL REQUIRED.— 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:53 Mar 12, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1102.IH H1102 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 1102 IH ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Postal Service may not 1 require centralized delivery with respect to any hous- 2 ing development constructed after the date of the 3 enactment of this section without prior approval 4 from the local legislative body, or, in the absence of 5 a local legislative body, the legislature of the State 6 with jurisdiction over the affected property. 7 ‘‘(2) NOTICE AND COMMENT.—If approval for 8 centralized delivery is granted under paragraph (1), 9 at least 60 days before commencing such delivery, 10 the local postmaster shall provide— 11 ‘‘(A) written notice to any other units of 12 local government and any planning commissions 13 located within the applicable county; and 14 ‘‘(B) a period of 60 days for public com- 15 ment from residents, property owners, and 16 home builders within such county regarding the 17 use of centralized delivery at the applicable 18 housing development.’’. 19 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 20 for chapter 36 of title 39, United States Code, is amended 21 by adding after the item relating to section 3691 the fol- 22 lowing: 23 ‘‘3692. Limitation on centralized delivery.’’. (c) POSTAL SERVICE POLICIES AFFECTING VULNER- 24 ABLE COMMUNITIES.—The Postal Regulatory Commis- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:53 Mar 12, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1102.IH H1102 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 1102 IH sion shall ensure that the United States Postal Service 1 does not change any Postal Service policy in effect on the 2 date of the enactment of this Act that would result in a 3 disproportionate negative affect on rural, lower income, el- 4 derly, disabled, or predominately minority communities. 5 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:53 Mar 12, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1102.IH H1102 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS