H.R. 2103 — Protect Postal Performance Act

This section revises Postal Service procedures for closing or consolidating post offices and prohibits certain closures. Specifically, it (1) requires a public hearing—attendable in-person or virtually by affected individuals—during the existing 60-day notice period under 39 U.S.C. §404(d)(4); mandates publication of a hearing summary on the Postal Service website within 7 days, including submitted comments and the percentage in support of or against the proposal; and delays any closure or consolidation until 180 days after such publication; and (2) prohibits closure or consolidation of any post office not located within 15 miles of another post office or that is the closest post office for a population of 15,000 individuals or more.

This section adds §§417 and 418 to title 39, U.S. Code, to restrict U.S. Postal Service (USPS) actions on processing and distribution centers (P&DCs)—central mail facilities that sort, dispatch incoming and outgoing mail, and provide mailer instructions—and local/regional transportation optimization (LTO/RTO). Section 417 (1) prohibits USPS from closing, consolidating, downgrading, or taking similar actions at any P&DC if it would leave a state without a P&DC in any geographically non-contiguous region (i.e., physically separated by significant water or land controlled by another state) inhabited by more than 100,000 permanent residents; (2) requires a Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) advisory opinion, issued within 120 business days, before implementing any changes (e.g., consolidation) to mail processing facilities, with a further report and 180-day implementation delay if the opinion finds slower on-time delivery; (3) prohibits USPS from conducting the Mail Processing Facility Review (or successor) using federal funds, including from the Postal Service Fund; and (4) bars closing, consolidating, or moving operations from any P&DC in a district that failed to meet, in the prior calendar year, at least 93% on-time delivery for two-day single-piece First-Class Mail or 90.3% for three-to-five-day First-Class Mail. Section 418 (1) prohibits LTO/RTO efforts that decrease mail pickups or dropoffs at any post office and (2) requires a PRC opinion before changing post office pickup/dropoff schedules, barring USPS from proceeding if the PRC does not recommend the changes.