House Democrats released a new coronavirus emergency appropriations bill on Monday totaling $2.2 trillion in proposed spending to bring relief as the COVID-19 crisis continues. Of that total, the bill sets aside $15 billion for the Postal Service to remedy lost revenue during the pandemic. Another key component of the legislation would require states to accept mail-in ballots if they were mailed before Election Day and received by election officials within 10 days of the election.
Other aspects of the bill include $436 billion for state and local governments, a second round of $1,200 payments to individuals, $600 per week additional unemployment insurance through January 2021, $225 billion for education, and $75 billion for coronavirus testing, tracing and isolation measures.
The bill text concerning the Postal Service reads:
“For an additional payment to the ‘‘Postal Service Fund’’, for revenue forgone due to coronavirus, $15,000,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2022: Provided, That the Postal Service, during the coronavirus emergency, shall prioritize the purchase of, and make available to all Postal Service employees and facilities, personal protective equipment, including gloves, masks, and sanitizers, and shall conduct additional cleaning and sanitizing of Postal Service facilities and delivery vehicles: provided further, that such amount is designated by the Congress as being for an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.”