I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1582 

To clarify and increase the restrictions on political activities that are applicable to the members of the Postal Service Board of Governors, including 

the Postmaster General and the Deputy Postmaster General, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 3, 2021 

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform 

A BILL 

To clarify and increase the restrictions on political activities 

that are applicable to the members of the Postal Service 

Board of Governors, including the Postmaster General 

and the Deputy Postmaster General, 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 ‘‘Nonpartisan Post5 master General Act of 2021’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. POSTAL SERVICE OFFICERS’ POLITICAL ACTIVITIES 

2 LIMITED. 

3 (a) HATCH ACT OFFICER APPLICABILITY.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 410 of title 39, 

5 United States Code, is amended by adding at the 

6 end the following new subsection: 

7 ‘‘(e) For the purposes of applying subchapter III of 

8 chapter 73 of title 5, and any regulations thereunder, to 

9 the Postal Service pursuant to subsection (b)(1), the fol10 lowing are deemed to be employees of the Postal Service: 

11 ‘‘(1) The Postmaster General. 

12 ‘‘(2) The Deputy Postmaster General. 

13 ‘‘(3) Any individual holding a position in the 

14 Postal Service to which such individual was ap15 pointed by the President, by and with the advice and 

16 consent of the Senate, including a Governor ap17 pointed under section 202.’’. 

18 (2) FURTHER RESTRICTED EMPLOYEES.—Sec19 tion 7323(b)(2)(B) of title 5, United States Code, is 

20 amended— 

21 (A) in clause (i)(XIV), by striking ‘‘or’’ at 

22 the end; 

23 (B) in clause (ii), by striking the period at 

24 the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

25 (C) by adding at the end the following new 

26 clause: 


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1 ‘‘(iii) a person holding a position described in 

2 section 410(e) of title 39.’’. 

3 (b) POLITICAL ACTIVITIES OF BOARD MEMBERS.— 

4 Section 202 of title 39, United States Code, is amended 

5 by adding at the end the following new subsections: 

6 ‘‘(f) While serving as a member of the Board, an indi7 vidual may not— 

8 ‘‘(1) hold a political position; or 

9 ‘‘(2) solicit funds for— 

10 ‘‘(A) the campaign of a candidate for elec11 tion for a Federal, State, or local elected office; 

12 or 

13 ‘‘(B) a Federal, State, or local political 

14 party (as defined in the Federal Election Cam15 paign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30101 et seq.)). 

16 ‘‘(g) For purposes of this section, an individual holds 

17 a political position if such individual— 

18 ‘‘(1) holds Federal, State, or local elected office; 

19 ‘‘(2) files paperwork to be a candidate for elec20 tion for a Federal, State, or local elected office; or 

21 ‘‘(3) is an officer, director, or employee of a 

22 Federal, State, or local political party (as defined in 

23 subsection (f)(2)(B)).’’. 

24 (c) SEVERABILITY.—If any provision of this Act, an 

25 amendment made by this Act, or the application of such 


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1 provision or amendment to any person or circumstance is 

2 held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act, the 

3 amendments made by this Act, and the application of the 

4 provisions of such to any person or circumstance shall not 

5 be affected thereby. 

6 SEC. 3. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES REQUIRED PRIOR TO AS7 SUMING DUTIES OF POSTMASTER GENERAL 

8 OR DEPUTY POSTMASTER GENERAL. 

9 The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. 

10 App) is amended— 

11 (1) in section 101(a)— 

12 (A) by striking ‘‘(a) Within’’ and inserting 

13 ‘‘(a)(1) Within’’; and 

14 (B) by adding at the end the following: 

15 ‘‘(2)(A) An individual proposed pursuant to section 

16 202 of title 39, United States Code, to assume the position 

17 of Postmaster General or Deputy Postmaster General 

18 shall file the report required by paragraph (1) before as19 suming such position. 

20 ‘‘(B) An individual proposed for such a position may 

21 not carry out any duty of the position until the report sub22 mitted by the individual pursuant to subparagraph (A) is 

23 reviewed and signed by the Director of the Office of Gov24 ernment Ethics under section 106(b)(1), and any action 

25 taken by that individual in the performance of any funcVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:52 Apr 29, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1582.IH H1582

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1 tion or duty of the applicable position before the date on 

2 which such signature occurs shall have no force or effect.’’; 

3 and 

4 (2) in section 103(b)— 

5 (A) by striking ‘‘(b) The President’’ and 

6 inserting ‘‘(b)(1) The President’’; and 

7 (B) by adding at the end the following: 

8 ‘‘(2) Notwithstanding subsection (a), an individual 

9 proposed pursuant to section 202 of title 39, United 

10 States Code, to assume the position of Postmaster General 

11 or Deputy Postmaster General shall file the report re12 quired under section 101(a) with the Director of the Office 

13 of Government Ethics.’’. 

Æ 


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