Carolyn Maloney

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), the distinguished chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Operations.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 912, I call up the bill (H.R. 3076) to provide stability to and enhance the services of the United States Postal Service, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3076, the Postal Service Reform Act, which I introduced along with my distinguished ranking member, Mr. Comer. I am proud to say that our bill, the bill before us today, is the result of a truly bipartisan effort from the beginning until our time on the floor today. We have jointly over 100 cosponsors almost evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans. And according to the nonpartisan CBO, this bill actually reduces Federal spending by $1.5 billion over the next 10 years. The administration also supports the bill's efforts to ``strengthen the U.S. Postal Service.'' Madam Speaker, I include the President's statement in the Record. Statement of Administration Policy H.R. 3076--postal service reform act of 2022--rep. maloney, d-ny, and 102 cosponsors The Administration supports House passage of H.R. 3076, the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022. The United States Postal Service and its dedicated employees provide an essential public service and the critical public infrastructure for the delivery of mail and packages to all Americans in every corner of the country. The Postal Service provides crucial support to millions of Americans, including our Nation's veterans, including by ensuring their ability to vote and providing access to prescription medications. Furthermore, the Postal Service is an indispensable complement to and foundational support for American businesses and communities. The Administration supports efforts to strengthen the United States Postal Service, including by providing Postal employees with the dignity, fair pay, and employer-provided benefits they have earned. The Administration is committed to ensuring that the Postal Service delivers the highest quality, most reliable service possible to every American. This legislation would advance these goals in several ways. Under current law, the Postal Service is required to annually prepay future retirement health benefits, a requirement not imposed on most other public or private entities. Consistent with the President's longstanding commitment, H.R. 3076 would repeal this requirement, which unfairly and unnecessarily burdens the Postal Service. H.R. 3076 would also establish a new, separate Postal Service Health Benefits Program (PSHBP) within the existing Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), that integrates Postal employees and annuitants into Medicare. Making these changes would improve the Postal Service's long- run financial outlook, without sacrificing quality, affordable health coverage for Postal employees and retirees. The Administration is mindful that these reforms would impose administrative burdens on the Office of Personnel Management and FEHBP, and further, that there could be potential challenges with operationalizing Medicare integration and with ensuring ongoing funding to support administration of the new PSHPB. The Administration looks forward to working with Congress to ensure that the goals of H.R. 3076 are met in an efficient, equitable, and cost-effective manner, while safeguarding the continued stability of the FEHBP. Finally, H.R. 3076 would establish new transparency and reporting requirements for the Postal Service and its regulator, the Postal Regulatory Commission; require the Postal Service to provide semi-annual reports to Congress on the implementation of its strategic plan; provide for a public dashboard using nationwide delivery metrics to track delivery performance; and mandate a review of the costing of competitive and non-competitive products. The Administration supports these efforts to improve accountability, reliability and transparency at the Postal Service.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. The Postal Service is one of America's most vital and respected institutions. Originally established in Article I of the Constitution, for over two centuries it has provided service across our country to every single address whether you are in an urban skyscraper or rural family farm. It binds our Nation together in ways that no agency or organization does, and it adds over 1 million new delivery points every year. This bill is an agreement to fix some of the serious problems that have been looming over the post office for years and threatening its financial stability. It is an agreement that was reached with input from Democrats, Republicans, the postal unions, the postal professionals, and a wide array of private- and public-sector stakeholders. Over 200 different organizations have come out in support of this bill. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a list of the organizations in support of this bill. Organizations Supporting the Postal Service Reform Act American Postal Workers Union; National Association of Letter Carriers; National Rural Letter Carriers Association; National Postal Mail Handlers Union; United States Postal Service; National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association; Federal-Postal Coalition; National Association of Postal Supervisors; Package Coalition; Scholastic; Pitney Bowes; CVS Health; eBay; International Paper; National Retail Federation; OSM Worldwide; Pharmaceutical Care Management Association; Pirate Ship; Keep Us Posted; Consumer Action. Sylvamo; Coalition for a 21st Century Postal Service; American Catalog Mailers Association; American Forest & Paper Association; Association of National Advertisers; Envelope Manufacturers Association; Greeting Card Association; Major Mailers Association; MailersHub; National Association of Presort Mailers; National Newspaper Association; National Postal Policy Council; National Retail Federation; Letter in Support of H.R. 3076, p. 2; News Media Alliance; Parcel Shippers Association; Printing United Alliance; Retail Industry Leaders Association; Saturation Mailers Coalition; The Package Coalition Companies. 4-Imprint; Action Mail Presort; AIIM; All Island Media; Amazon; Arcadia News; AT&T; Ballard Designs; Baudville Inc.; BCC Software; Belk; Biely & Shoaf Co., Blue Kite Press; BlueCrest; Bluegrass Integrated Communications; Bluestone Perennials; BMS Direct; BMS Technologies; Business Communication Solutions (BCS); C & G Newspaper. Calyx Flowers, Inc.; Cathedral Corporation; Centron Data Services; Christianbook, LLC; Clarity; CohereOne; Colony Brands: Montgomery Ward, Seventh Avenue, Ginny's, Midnight Velvet, Monroe & Main; The Swiss Colony, The Tender Filet; The Wisconsin Cheeseman, Country Door, Ashro; Columbia Sportswear; Community Papers of Michigan; Content Critical Solutions; Continuum | Marketing Production Services; Corporate Mailing Services; Corporate Mailing Services (CMS); Data Media Associates; Datamatx; Datapage; DataProse; Demographix Media. Design Toscano; Direct Mail Solutions; DMM; DNI Corp.; Domtar; Doxim; EasyPost; eBay; Etsy; Everything Marketing, LLC; Fairytale Brownies; Fluence; FRONTGATE; FSSI; Gardener's Supply Company; Garnet Hill; Genesee Valley Pennysavers; Grayhair Software; Grizzly Industrial, Inc.; Hallmark Cards, Inc.; Harbor Sweets. Hatteras/FocusOne; HC3; Holt's Cigar Company; HSN; IC Group; ICS Corp; Image Options; Impact; Improvements; IMS; Indrio Brands: Hale Groves, Pittman & Davis, Sun Harvest Citrus, StuartDM; InfoIMAGE; Inland Press; International Bridge; International Paper; Japs Olson; Johnson & Quin; JSM; Kathleen Schultz Marketing; King Solutions; K-Log; L & D Mail Masters; L&M Mail & Courier; Las Vegas Presort; Legacy Publishing Group; Lett Direct; LSC Communications; Mail Maine; Mailbox Merchants; Mailing Services of Pittsburgh; Mailing Technical Services, Inc.; Midland; Midwest Direct; National Grange; Mountain Hard Wear; MPX; MRS Mail Express; My Shipping Post; Northern Safety & Industrial Novica. Nueske's Applewood Smoked Meats; OBRIEN; OSG; OSM Worldwide; Package Shippers Association; Path2Response; PCI Group; Pill Pack; Pirate Ship; Pitney Bowes; Pittsburgh Mailing; Plow & Hearth; PMSI; Polaris Direct, LLC; Poshmark; Potpourri Group: Cuddledown, NorthStyle, The Pyramid Collection, Serengeti, In the Company of; Dogs, Magellan's, Catalog Favorites, Young Explorers, Back in the Saddle, Whatever Works; Country Store, Expressions, Nature's Jewelry, The Stitchery, SafeFinds, TravelSmith; Chadwicks; prAna. Premier Press; Presort Essentials, Inc.; Print Mail Solutions; Print Mannschaft; Prolist; Publishers Clearing House; Quad Inc.; Qurate Retail Group; QVC; R.R. Donnelley; Raymond Geddes & Co., Inc.; Recreation Supply Company; RevSpring; Scottish Gourmet USA LLC; Shades of Light; Shark Publications, LLC; Shippo; Signature Graphics; Silver Star Brands: Miles Kimball, Walter Drake, Easy Comforts, Exposures, As We Change; NativeRemedies, Fox Valley Traders. SiteForm, Inc.; Smart Market, Inc; Sorel; Specialty Print Communications; Sporty's; Summit Direct; Letter in Support of H.R. 3076, p. 5; Sylvamo; Target Direct; The Bradford Exchange: Hammacher Schlemmer; The Dingley Press; The Masters Touch; The PLD Group; The Vermont Country Store; Think Patented; TLC Management, Inc.; United Business Mail; United Mailing Services; United Postmasters and Managers of America. Up With Paper; Upper Valley Press; Ursa Major Associates; USM Print Solutions; Value Direct, LLC; VariVerge; Whittier Mailing Products Inc.; Wiland; Wisconsin Community Papers, Town Money Saver; Wolverine Solutions Group; YRSTORE INC.; Zappos; Zulil.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials on H.R. 3076.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the majority leader of this Congress.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I would like to join my colleague, Mr. Comer, in thanking Representative Foxx for her unique contribution to this bill. She is co-chair of the Postal Caucus and played a vital role in moving this bill to the floor. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone), the distinguished chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee that has jurisdiction over this bill also, and I thank him for his leadership on this bill.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio), the distinguished chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), the distinguished chair of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), the distinguished vice chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch), the distinguished chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Lawrence), the distinguished co- chair of the Congressional Women's Caucus.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman an additional 15 seconds.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Krishnamoorthi), the distinguished chair of the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), the distinguished chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, as we have heard many times on the floor today, the Postal Service is vital to the United States. It is so important that the Founding Fathers put it in the Constitution, right there under Article I. They did this because they knew that the Postal Service would keep our people connected and would ensure that no matter where a person lives in this country, they can receive mail and other critical deliveries. As the gentleman, the dean, from Alaska said, one stamp can take you from across the street in an urban area all the way to Alaska to some of the most remote areas. It is a critical, critical service. Madam Speaker, this bipartisan bill will dramatically improve the financial situation of the Postal Service--and I would say the country that depends on it--and enable it to continue performing these essential services for the American people. We all know firsthand the incredible job that the postal workers did during the COVID-19 crisis, risking their lives to deliver our mail every day. While many of us were quarantined and safe in our homes, they were out interacting with people every day providing the service. At times in my district, half the Postal Service was out sick with COVID because of the interaction that they did to save our lives. Just as 9/11 was helped so dramatically by the police and fire, along with the healthcare workers, this COVID crisis was helped dramatically by the Postal Service. They are really the heroes and heroines of this crisis. Madam Speaker, I share my thanks for the support of so many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who understand and support the necessity of these reforms. A vote for this bill is not only a vote for the post office, I would say it is a vote for yourself, for the services that we all receive, for America, for our institutions, and our values. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a letter that lists all the Members who reached out to indicate that they would have cosponsored the bill had they had the opportunity to do so. Committee on Oversight and Reform, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, February 8, 2022. Cheryl L. Johnson, Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Ms. Johnson: As a result of a clerical error, numerous Members of Congress who had expressed interest in cosponsoring H.R. 3076, the Postal Service Reform Act, were not added to the bill before it was discharged from all committees and placed on the union calendar. Below is a list of the Members of Congress who would have cosponsored H.R. 3076 had they been able to be added. Brad Sherman (CA), David B. McKinley (WV), Andy Levin (MI), Maria Elvira Salazar (FL), Mark Pocan (WI), Mariannnette Miller-Meeks (IA), Salud Carbajal (CA), Madeleine Dean (PA), Eric Swalwell (CA), Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE), Veronica Escobar (TX), Jim Langevin (RI), Peter DeFazio (OR), Yvette D. Clarke (NY), Peter Welch (VT), Betty McCollum (MN), Bobby L. Rush (IL), Marc Veasey (TX), David Trone (MD), Nydia Velazquez (NY), Brendan Boyle (PA), Alma Adams (NC). Raul M. Grijalva (AZ), Ann Kuster (NH), Jim Himes (CT), Robin Kelly (IL), Doris Matsui (CA), Rashida Tlaib (MI), Tom Malinowski (NJ), Barbara Lee (CA), Haley Stevens (MI), Jake Auchincloss (MA), Pramila Jayapal (WA), Greg Stanton (AZ), Judy Chu (CA), Gregory Meeks (NY), John Yarmuth (KY), Deborah Ross (NC), Colin Allred (TX), Antonio Delgado (NY), Jim McGovern (MA), Donald Payne Jr. (NJ), Diana DeGette (CO), William Keating (MA). Sara Jacobs (CA), David Cicilline (RI), Andre Carson (IN), Kweisi Mfume (MD), Mark DeSaulnier (CA), Lizzie Fletcher (TX), Emanuel Cleaver (MO), Luis Correa (CA), Henry Cuellar (TX), Carolyn Bourdeaux (GA), Paul Tonko (NY), Adam Smith (WA), Suzan K. DelBene (WA), Danny K. Davis (IL), Chrissy Houlahan (PA). Jared Golden (ME), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA), Mike Levin (CA), Matt Cartwright (PA), Sean Casten (IL), Vicente Gonzalez (TX), Suzanne Bonamici (OR), Michael Waltz (FL), Julia Brownley (CA), Jamie Raskin (MD), Ashley Hinson (IA), Glenn ``GT'' Thompson (PA), Mark Takano (CA), Adam Schiff (CA), Sheila Jackson-Lee (TX). Sincerely, Carolyn B. Maloney Chairwoman, Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I also include in the Record a list of over 200 diverse organizations across our country that support this bill. United States Postal Service, Washington, DC, June 28, 2021. Hon. Gary C. Peters, Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Hon. Rob Portman, Ranking Member, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Hon. Carolyn P. Maloney, Chairwoman, Committee on Oversight and Reform, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. James Comer, Ranking Member, Committee on Oversight and Reform, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Peters, Chairwoman Maloney, Ranking Member Portman, and Ranking Member Comer: I want to salute your leadership in introducing bipartisan, bicameral legislation to restore the Postal Service to financial sustainability while advancing service and operational accountability. You have struck an important balance in the Postal Service Reform Act, evident by the impressive list of bipartisan original cosponsors. The American people and the men and women of the Postal Service will be the beneficiaries of this outstanding work for years to come. The Postal Service supports the bill and has provided your staff with modest technical refinements that we hope will be adopted as the legislative process advances. We have provided similar feedback to the Office of Management and Budget at their request. Postal reform legislation has faltered in past Congresses when language is added that unsettles the kind of careful balance you have achieved in this bill. Accordingly, I would commend your collective resolve in advancing a reform bill limited to the current set of provisions. I wanted to particularly comment on Section 202, the Integrated Delivery Network provision, which as introduced requires six-day delivery through an integrated delivery network for market-dominant and competitive products. This provision sets forth important principles that underlie the Postal Service's provision of universal mail and package delivery service and that therefore benefit the American people. I strongly urge you to retain the wording as introduced, despite what we consider to be a parochial and misguided effort to modify or eliminate it. I have elaborated in an attachment on the reasons this provision is so essential to our mission. I look forward to continuing to work with you to advance the postal reform legislation you have put forward to serve the interests of the American people. Each of you have already shown yourselves to be exceptional leaders to preserve this essential institution and its noble mission. Please let me how we can assist in your important efforts. Sincerely, Louis DeJoy, Postmaster General, CEO.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. And I would again thank Ranking Member Comer for his partnership on this widely supported bill. It would not have happened without his partnership, and I am deeply grateful. Madam Speaker, with that, I urge all of my colleagues to support this historic bipartisan bill. We rarely get a chance to vote for a bill that helps so many people, that actually saves taxpayers money, that reforms our government, doesn't cost anything. We are just reforming and making government work better to serve the people. That is what this bill is. It is a win-win-win in every direction. Madam Speaker, I hope that this body would unanimously vote for it and send it to the Senate with a message that they should pass it as quickly as possible. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, Mr. Comer, for his leadership, his friendship, and for the long path we went through together to make this happen. I thank all my colleagues who participated in making this happen, particularly our Speaker and our leadership in this Congress. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY. Madam Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I urge passage of this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and for her leadership. I rise in strong support of the America COMPETES Act. As our country fights to emerge from this pandemic, the policies of the Biden-Harris administration increased GDP by 5.7 percent in 2021, with the last quarter clocking in at an impressive 6.9 percent Gross Domestic Product. But we cannot return to the pre-pandemic status quo in which geopolitical adversaries, like China, threatened our industrial base, supply chains, intellectual property, technological security, and global leadership and innovation. The America COMPETES Act will protect and enhance the competitive edge of America's workers, businesses, and economy, which other nations are seeking to undermine. Nowhere are the intentions of our adversaries clearer than in the cyber realm. Over the past several years, the country has been rocked, rocked by major attacks by cybercriminals like China and Russia. Just this morning, our committee approved a sweeping, bipartisan bill to modernize and improve the cybersecurity framework of the Federal Government. But these efforts will be hindered if we don't have the right personnel in place to implement our Federal policies. The America COMPETES Act will help address this by including H.R. 3599, a bipartisan bill by Ro Khanna and Nancy Mace, which establishes a rotation program for cybersecurity professionals at Federal agencies. The America COMPETES Act also includes H.R. 4469, a bill I led with Representatives Lynch and Raskin, to ensure the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board has the authority and resources it needs to protect civil liberties through oversight of artificial intelligence use of executive agencies. The America COMPETES Act will ensure that America can compete and win in the economy of the future, and it positions the Federal Government in a way to lead the way forward. There is so much to say about it. My time has expired. This is a must vote if you want America to be competitive in the world economy.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 5314, the Protecting Our Democracy Act.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5314, the Protecting Our Democracy Act. This sweeping package of reforms would restore integrity, accountability, and transparency to our government. The landmark reforms in this bill would protect against future abuses, no matter who is President. This includes preventing abuses of the President's pardon power and requiring the President and Vice President to disclose their tax returns. This bill includes many provisions that have bipartisan support. For example, the bill includes a provision based on a bill previously introduced by Representative Darrell Issa to make it easier for Congress to enforce subpoenas. The bill would strengthen protections for inspectors general by only allowing an IG to be removed for specific documented causes. This reform passed the House with a bipartisan vote in June as part of a bill I introduced to increase the independence of inspectors general, and it passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support in 2007. This bill also includes the bipartisan Whistleblower Protection Improvement Act, which I was proud to introduce. These provisions would strengthen protections for whistleblowers who are retaliated against for reporting waste, fraud, and abuse. These reforms would provide whistleblowers the long overdue right to challenge retaliation in court. It would also prohibit agencies from launching retaliatory investigations and disclosing a whistleblower's identity; and it would make clear that no Federal employee, including the President or Vice President of the United States, may interfere with or retaliate against a whistleblower for sharing information with Congress. The Protecting Our Democracy Act would also protect the government from political interference by strengthening the Hatch Act. Just last month, the independent Office of Special Counsel found that 13 senior Trump administration officials, including top White House aides and Cabinet members, broke the law by using their official government position to campaign for President Trump. This legislation would also limit who can be named an acting official and for how long. I thank Representative Katie Porter for her leadership on these reforms which are included in her bill, the Accountability for Acting Officials Act. The reforms in this bill have broad support from over 150 groups, including the Brennan Center For Justice and the Project On Government Oversight. My colleagues from across the aisle continue to claim that this bill is about punishing former President Trump, but this is simply not true. While this bill addresses issues that were highlighted by past abuses, it is not about the past. It is about the future of our democracy, and it will strengthen our democracy. Madam Speaker, I strongly urge all of my colleagues, both Democrats and Republicans, to vote for the Protecting Our Democracy Act, and I reserve the balance of my time.