This Act establishes new transparency requirements, including public hearings and impact reports, before the Postal Service can close or consolidate contract postal units.
George Whitesides
Representative
CA-27
The Contract Postal Unit Transparency Act establishes new mandatory procedures for the Postal Service when closing or consolidating contract postal units. These new rules require the Postal Service to publish impact reports, hold public hearings, and wait at least 180 days after summarizing public feedback before any closure can take effect. This ensures greater transparency and community input regarding changes to local postal services.
Postal Service Must Wait 180 Days After Public Input Before Closing Local Post Offices
The Contract Postal Unit Transparency Act is straightforward: it puts a big speed bump in front of the Postal Service (USPS) if they decide to close or consolidate a Contract Postal Unit (CPU). CPUs are those smaller, often privately-run postal spots—think the little post office counter inside a pharmacy or a rural general store. Starting six months after this bill passes, USPS can’t just shut these down quietly anymore.
The New Public Input Mandate
Before USPS can even think about closing a CPU, Section 2 of this bill forces them to do some serious homework. First, they have to post a report online detailing exactly how the closure will impact local customers and what alternative plan they have for local mail services. They also have to send a separate report straight to Congress explaining the rationale behind the decision. For people in small towns where the CPU might be the only local option, this report provides crucial, advance warning and accountability.
Next, the bill mandates a public hearing, which can be in-person or online, so affected residents can actually weigh in. This is a big deal because it moves the decision-making process out of a closed office and into the community. If you’re a small business owner relying on that local CPU to ship products, or a senior who can’t easily drive to the next town over, this hearing is your chance to be heard.
The 180-Day Cooling-Off Period
After the public hearing wraps up, USPS has seven days to post a summary of the feedback online. This summary must include the total comments received and, crucially, the percentage of comments that were for or against the closure. This transparency ensures the public knows exactly where the community stands on the issue. But here’s the kicker: the actual closure or consolidation cannot happen until at least 180 days after that summary is posted. This is the bill’s most significant protective measure, giving the community six months to organize, find alternatives, or potentially fight the decision before services are actually cut. While this adds administrative steps and delays for the Postal Service, for the everyday person relying on that local service, it’s a massive win for transparency and local control.