On May 12, lawmakers in the House introduced H.R. 6800, or the HEROES (Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions) Act. The bill provides emergency funding for various agencies and sectors of the economy.
Among the postal provisions included in the legislation are:
- A $25 billion cash infusion for the USPS (subject to oversight/audit by the USPS Office of Inspector General)
- Modification of the CARES Act $10 billion loan provision so that the USPS loan would be subject to terms and conditions of the existing note agreement between USPS and the Federal Financing Bank, thereby easing previous restrictions on the line of credit
- Promotion of vote by mail via absentee ballots with prepaid postage by state/local governments
- Work performed by USPS employees deemed “essential work”
The House is set to consider the bill Friday.
To view the full text of the legislation, please click here.