Postal reform bill could raise health premiums for federal workers, employee group warns

A bipartisan bill designed to bring desired financial relief to the U.S. Postal Service could have implications for the rest of the federal workforce, potentially raising health insurance costs for employees and retirees, an employee advocacy organization warns.

For the first time in years, momentum is building in Congress over postal legislative reform. The Postal Service Reform Act, which House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.) introduced earlier this month, cleared the committee and has approval from Postmaster General Louis DeJoy himself.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Gary Peters (D-Mich.) and Ranking Member Rob Portman (R-Ohio) introduced a Senate companion last week. The bill has 20 Senate co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle.