[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4670 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4670
To amend title 39, United States Code, to enhance the security and
efficiency of nationwide mail and parcel delivery.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 19, 2014
Mr. Issa (for himself and Mr. Farenthold) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 39, United States Code, to enhance the security and
efficiency of nationwide mail and parcel delivery.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Secure Delivery for America Act of
2014''.
SEC. 2. DELIVERY-POINT MODERNIZATION.
(a) In General.--Subchapter VII of chapter 36 of title 39, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 3692. Delivery-point modernization
``(a) Definitions.--For the purposes of this section--
``(1) the term `delivery point' means a mailbox or other
receptacle to which mail is delivered;
``(2) the term `primary mode of mail delivery' means the
typical method by which the Postal Service delivers letter mail
to the delivery point of a postal patron;
``(3) the term `door delivery' means a primary mode of mail
delivery whereby mail is placed into a slot or receptacle at or
near the postal patron's door or is hand delivered to a postal
patron, but does not include centralized, curbside, or sidewalk
delivery;
``(4) the term `centralized delivery' means a primary mode
of mail delivery whereby mail receptacles of a number of
delivery points are grouped or clustered at a single location;
``(5) the term `curbside delivery' means a primary mode of
mail delivery whereby a mail receptacle is situated at the edge
of a sidewalk abutting a road or curb, at a road, or at a curb,
and can be served by a letter carrier from a motorized vehicle;
and
``(6) the term `sidewalk delivery' means a primary mode of
mail delivery whereby a mail receptacle is situated at the edge
of a sidewalk and can be served by a letter carrier from the
sidewalk.
``(b) Policy.--It shall be the policy of the Postal Service--
``(1) to provide access to secure, convenient package
delivery receptacles to the greatest number of postal patrons
feasible; and
``(2) to use the most cost-effective primary mode of mail
delivery feasible for postal patrons.
``(c) Phaseout of Door Delivery.--
``(1) New addresses.--For new addresses established after
September 30, 2014, the Postal Service shall provide a primary
mode of mail delivery other than door delivery, with a
preference for secure, centralized delivery to the maximum
extent feasible.
``(2) Business address conversion.--Subject to paragraph
(4), the Postal Service shall implement a program to convert
existing business addresses with door delivery to centralized
delivery to the maximum extent feasible.
``(3) Residential address conversion.--
``(A) Identification.--Within 1 year after the date
of the enactment of this section, each Postal Service
district office shall identify residential addresses
within its service area that are appropriate candidates
for conversion from door delivery to centralized,
curbside, or sidewalk delivery, in accordance with
standards established by the Postal Service.
``(B) Voluntary conversion.--Subject to paragraph
(4), the Postal Service shall seek to voluntarily
convert the delivery points identified under
subparagraph (A) from door delivery to more cost-
effective primary modes of mail delivery.
``(C) Procedures.--In carrying out conversions
under subparagraph (B), the Postal Service shall
establish procedures--
``(i) to solicit, consider, and respond to
input from postal patrons, State and local
governments, local associations, and property
owners; and
``(ii) to place centralized delivery points
in locations that maximize delivery efficiency,
ease of use for postal patrons, and respect for
private property rights.
``(4) Considerations.--In making any determination to
convert the primary mode of mail delivery for an existing
address from door delivery to any other primary mode of mail
delivery, or to provide a primary mode of mail delivery to a
new address, the Postal Service shall consider--
``(A) the impact of weather conditions, physical
barriers, or any other factor that may impact the
feasibility of providing a primary mode of mail
delivery other than door delivery (such as a factor
that may significantly reduce the potential cost
savings associated with providing centralized or
curbside delivery);
``(B) whether the address is in a registered
historic district (as that term is defined in section
47(c)(3)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986), is
listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is
designated as a National Historic Landmark, or is of
historic value; and
``(C) population density and the concentration of
poverty.
``(5) Waiver for physical hardship.--The Postal Service
shall establish and maintain a waiver program under which, upon
application, door delivery may be continued, or provided, at no
cost to the applicant in any case in which--
``(A) centralized or curbside delivery would, but
for this paragraph, otherwise be the primary mode of
mail delivery; and
``(B) door delivery is necessary in order to avoid
causing significant physical hardship or physical
safety risks to a postal patron.
``(d) Delivery Modernization Requirement.--
``(1) Delivery-point conversions.--During each fiscal year
from fiscal year 2015 through fiscal year 2024, the Postal
Service shall convert not less than 1,500,000 of the door
delivery points extant on December 31, 2013, to centralized,
curbside, or sidewalk delivery.
``(2) Conversion type.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the
Postal Service shall, to the greatest extent feasible, convert
delivery points to centralized delivery and include secure
package lockers co-located with mail receptacles at the
centralized delivery point.
``(3) Conversion order.--In determining which delivery
points to convert under paragraph (1), the delivery point or
points of postal patrons who voluntarily agree to convert their
delivery point or points under subsection (c)(3) shall take
precedence over any other conversions to the greatest extent
practicable.
``(4) Procedures.--In carrying out conversions under
paragraph (1), the Postal Service shall establish procedures
to--
``(A) solicit, consider, and respond to input from
the general public, postal patrons, State and local
governments, local associations, and property owners
which shall include, but not be limited to--
``(i) a public community meeting prior to
the commencement of the conversion of a
community;
``(ii) prior to the completion of the
conversion of a community; and
``(iii) at any point in the process when
the District Manager makes a change to the
delivery method or the location of centralized
delivery points;
``(B) calculate and make publicly accessible the
cost or savings of the conversion to the Postal Service
as well as the average conversion cost or savings to
each postal patron and any cost or savings to the State
and local government; and
``(C) place centralized delivery points in
locations that maximize delivery efficiency, ease of
use for postal patrons, and respect for private
property rights.
``(5) Notification.--In carrying out conversions under
paragraph (1), the Postal Service shall provide written notice
at least 60 days in advance of the implementation date of a
change in primary mode of mail delivery to postal customers
served by an applicable delivery point.
``(6) Voucher program.--The Postal Service shall, in
accordance with such standards and procedures as the Postal
Service shall by regulation prescribe, provide for a voucher
program under which, upon application, the Postal Service may
defray all or any portion of the costs associated with
conversion from door delivery under this section which would
otherwise be borne by postal patrons.
``(7) Legacy door-delivery service.--
``(A) In general.--The Postal Service may continue
to provide, for a fee to be paid by the addressee, door
delivery to an address that received door delivery as
of January 1, 2014, but was converted or scheduled to
be converted to a different primary mode of mail
delivery as a result of the requirements of paragraph
(1), subject to succeeding provisions of this
paragraph.
``(B) Offset.--The fee described in subparagraph
(A) shall, when taken in the nationwide aggregate,
offset the additional cost to the Postal Service for
door delivery (compared to the cost of the primary mode
of mail delivery which would otherwise exist for such
address) as a result of the requirements of subsection
(d).
``(C) Requirements.--The fee shall be subject to
the requirements of section 3622(d)(1)(B) and the
Postmaster General may by regulation prescribe the
method of the fee's calculation.
``(D) Qualifications.--Postal patrons may only
qualify for the option of legacy door-delivery service
if--
``(i) the postal patron received mail at
the applicable address on the date on which--
``(I) the Postal Service provided
written notice of its intent to convert
a delivery point in compliance with
paragraph (5); or
``(II) the primary mode of mail
delivery was changed pursuant to the
requirements of paragraph (1);
``(ii) the postal patron registered and
paid the initial fee for such service not later
than 6 months after the date on which the
primary mode of mail delivery was changed for
the applicable address; and
``(iii) the provision of legacy door-
delivery service has been continuous at the
applicable address since its commencement.
``(8) Treatment of exemption.--Addresses receiving door
delivery or legacy door delivery as a result of subsection
(c)(5) or paragraph (7)--
``(A) shall be counted as addresses that receive
the primary mode of mail delivery which the address
would be subject to if not for the applicable
exemption; and
``(B) shall, within 60 days after ceasing to meet
the requirements of such subsection (c)(5) or paragraph
(7), as applicable, be converted to the primary mode of
mail delivery which was otherwise applicable.
``(9) Annual report.--Not later than 60 days after the end
of each of fiscal years 2015 through 2024, the Postal Service
shall submit to Congress and the Inspector General of the
Postal Service a report on the implementation of this section
during the most recently completed fiscal year. Each such
report shall include--
``(A) the number of residential and business
addresses that--
``(i) receive door delivery as of the end
of the fiscal year preceding the most recently
completed fiscal year;
``(ii) receive door delivery as of the end
of the most recently completed fiscal year; and
``(iii) during the most recently completed
fiscal year, were converted from door delivery
to--
``(I) centralized delivery points;
``(II) curbside delivery points;
and
``(III) any other primary mode of
mail delivery, respectively;
``(B) the estimated cost savings from the
conversions described in subparagraph (A)(iii);
``(C) a description of the progress made by the
Postal Service toward meeting the requirements of
subsection (c) and paragraph (1) of this subsection;
and
``(D) any other information which the Postal
Service considers appropriate.
``(10) Inspector general audit.--The Inspector General of
the Postal Service shall issue an annual audit report on the
implementation of the conversion requirement under paragraph
(1) not later than 90 days after the date on which the Postal
Service releases its annual report under paragraph (9). At a
minimum, the report under this paragraph shall contain--
``(A) an audit of the data contained in the Postal
Service's report under paragraph (9); and
``(B) an evaluation of the Postal Service's
implementation of the procedural requirements described
in paragraph (4).
``(e) Review.--Subchapters IV and V shall not apply with respect to
any action taken by the Postal Service under this section.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 36 of
title 39, United States Code, is amended by adding after the item
relating to section 3691 the following:
``3692. Delivery-point modernization.''.
(c) Updated Delivery Cost Data.--
(1) Study.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Postal Service shall begin to
collect data on delivery mode costs and the potential savings
of converting to more cost-efficient primary modes of mail
delivery.
(2) Report.--Not later than October 1, 2015, the Postal
Service shall submit a report to the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the
Senate describing the findings of the study conducted under
paragraph (1).
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