II 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4356 

To facilitate the implementation of security measures undertaken by the 

United States Postal Service, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 16, 2024 

Mrs. GILLIBRAND (for herself and Mr. HAWLEY) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

A BILL 

To facilitate the implementation of security measures undertaken by the United States Postal Service, and for other 

purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protect Our Letter 

5 Carriers Act of 2024’’. 

6 SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

7 It is the sense of the Congress that— 

8 (1) United States Postal Service letter carriers 

9 must be protected from acts of violence; and 


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1 (2) the Attorney General should vigorously 

2 prosecute any case of assault against a postal em3 ployee. 

4 SEC. 3. FUNDS TO UPGRADE COLLECTION BOXES. 

5 There is authorized to be appropriated 

6 $1,400,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 

7 2029 to the United States Postal Service to carry out, as 

8 determined by the United States Postal Service— 

9 (1) the installation of high security collection 

10 boxes; and 

11 (2) the replacement of older versions of the uni12 versal mailbox key, also known as the arrow key, 

13 with electronic versions. 

14 SEC. 4. COORDINATION OF PROSECUTION OF OFFENSES 

15 AGAINST THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERV16 ICE. 

17 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 542 of title 28, United 

18 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol19 lowing: 

20 ‘‘(c) The Attorney General shall, in consultation with 

21 the United States attorney for the district, appoint in each 

22 judicial district an assistant United States attorney with 

23 principal responsibility in the district to coordinate and 

24 supervise the investigation and prosecution of alleged of25 fenses committed— 


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1 ‘‘(1) in violation of chapter 83 of title 18; 

2 ‘‘(2) in violation of sections 2115, 2116, or 

3 2117 of title 18; or 

4 ‘‘(3) against a carrier or person entrusted with 

5 the mail and having custody thereof, in violation of 

6 section 111 of title 18.’’. 

7 (b) DEADLINE FOR COMPLIANCE.—The Attorney 

8 General shall comply with section 542(c) of title 28, 

9 United States Code, as added by this Act, not later than 

10 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

11 SEC. 5. SENTENCING GUIDELINES WITH RESPECT TO ROB12 BERY AGAINST A POSTAL EMPLOYEE. 

13 Not later than May 1 following the first year that 

14 begins after the date of enactment of this Act, the United 

15 States Sentencing Commission shall amend the sentencing 

16 guidelines and policy statements promulgated under sec17 tion 994 of title 28, United States Code, to provide that 

18 the assault or robbery of a postal employee, including con19 duct committed during the immediate flight after the com20 mission of such an assault or robbery if the conduct cre21 ates a substantial risk of serious bodily injury, shall be 

22 treated in the same manner as the assault of a law en23 forcement officer. 

Æ 


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