WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Castro (TX-20) introduced the Postal Service Clusterbox Responsibility Act – legislation that would ensure USPS continues maintaining cluster boxes for eligible neighborhoods.
The legislation comes after the USPS abandoned their longstanding practice of maintaining and repairing damaged clusterboxes for neighborhoods in San Antonio and across the United States. As a result, many constituents – including seniors and people with disabilities – are forced to make inconvenient and lengthy trips to retrieve essential mail, such as Social Security checks and medications from their local post office.
“Texas families rely on USPS for everything from paychecks to holiday cheer. No matter your zip code, all folks deserve a reliable and safe mail system,” said Congressman Castro. “Residents should not suddenly bear the cost of maintaining clusterboxes. My legislation will put power back into the hands of residents and ensure that USPS fulfills its decades-long commitment to take care of this vital public service.”
Background:
The Postal Service Clusterbox Responsibility Act directs the USPS to continue maintaining clusterboxes that it has historically maintained for at least 20 years. The bill establishes a process for neighborhoods to submit information to USPS to confirm their responsibility for maintenance. The legislation also creates a dedicated Clusterbox Unit Maintenance Fund to ensure financial resources are available to carry out its obligations.
In September 2024, Congressman Castro led a letter to the U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy expressing bipartisan concerns about recent changes to USPS policy that damaged public faith in the reliability of the service.
In October 2023, Castro released a letter demanding answers and accountability from USPS after USPS suddenly ended a longstanding policy of maintaining the cluster boxes that San Antonio residents rely on for safe and secure mail delivery.
Congressman Castro is committed to protecting federal mail operations. San Antonio neighborhoods who are facing issues with mail delivery are encouraged to get in touch with his office by calling 210-348-8216.
The full text of the Postal Service Clusterbox Responsibility Act can be found here.
