I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2158 

To amend title 39, United States Code, to establish rules and procedures 

for the United States Postal Service regarding the use of centralized 

delivery of the mail with respect to residential housing units, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 9, 2019 

Mr. BURCHETT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Oversight and Reform 

A BILL 

To amend title 39, United States Code, to establish rules 

and procedures for the United States Postal Service regarding the use of centralized delivery of the mail with 

respect to residential housing units, 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 ‘‘Easy Access to Mail 

5 Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON CENTRALIZED DELIVERY FOR CER2 TAIN RESIDENTIAL HOUSING UNITS. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter VII of chapter 36 of 

4 title 39, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 

5 end the following: 

6 ‘‘§ 3692. Limitation on centralized delivery 

7 ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 

8 ‘‘(1) the term ‘centralized delivery’ means a pri9 mary mode of mail delivery whereby mail receptacles 

10 of a number of delivery points are grouped or clus11 tered at a single location; 

12 ‘‘(2) the term ‘primary mode of mail delivery’ 

13 means the typical method by which the Postal Serv14 ice delivers letter mail to the delivery point of a 

15 postal patron; and 

16 ‘‘(3) the term ‘housing development’ means any 

17 single-family residential home or townhouse, but 

18 does not include any multi-home apartment or con19 dominium building. 

20 ‘‘(b) RETROACTIVE CHANGE TO MODE OF DELIVERY

21 PROHIBITED.—For any housing development with respect 

22 to which the primary mode of mail delivery is any such 

23 mode except for centralized delivery on the date of the en24 actment of this section, the Postal Service may not change 

25 such mode of delivery to centralized delivery. 

26 ‘‘(c) APPROVAL REQUIRED.— 


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1 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Postal Service may not 

2 require centralized delivery with respect to any hous3 ing development constructed after the date of the 

4 enactment of this section without prior approval 

5 from the local legislative body, or, in the absence of 

6 a local legislative body, the legislature of the State 

7 with jurisdiction over the affected property. 

8 ‘‘(2) NOTICE AND COMMENT.—If approval for 

9 centralized delivery is granted under paragraph (1), 

10 at least 60 days before commencing such delivery, 

11 the local postmaster shall provide— 

12 ‘‘(A) written notice to any other units of 

13 local government and any planning commissions 

14 located within the applicable county; and 

15 ‘‘(B) a period of 60 days for public com16 ment from residents, property owners, and 

17 home builders within such county regarding the 

18 use of centralized delivery at the applicable 

19 housing development.’’. 

20 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

21 for chapter 36 of title 39, United States Code, is amended 

22 by adding after the item relating to section 3691 the fol23 lowing: 

‘‘3692. Limitation on centralized delivery.’’. 

24 (c) POSTAL SERVICE POLICIES AFFECTING VULNER25 ABLE COMMUNITIES.—The Postal Regulatory CommisVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:49 Apr 17, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2158.IH H2158

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1 sion shall ensure that the United States Postal Service 

2 does not change any Postal Service policy in effect on the 

3 date of the enactment of this Act that would result in a 

4 disproportionate negative affect on rural, lower income, el5 derly, disabled, or predominately minority communities. 

Æ 


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