I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8975 
To provide States with the authority to name post offices located in the 
State, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 22, 2022 
Mr. ROSENDALE (for himself, Mrs. MILLER of Illinois, Mr. MASSIE, Mr. GOH-
MERT, and Mr. VAN DREW) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform 
A BILL 
To provide States with the authority to name post offices 
located in the State, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. STATE POST OFFICE NAMING AUTHORITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 4 of title 39, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘SEC. 417. STATE POST OFFICE NAMING AUTHORITY. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—A State may, in accordance with 
this section, select the name by which any post office that 
is located in such State will be known and designated. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:56 Oct 05, 2022
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8975.IH
H8975
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
‘‘(b) LEGISLATION REQUIRED.—A State may exer-
cise the authority under subsection (a) only by legislation 
enacted by the State. 
‘‘(c) REFERENCES.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Any reference in a law, 
map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of 
the United States to a post office for which a State 
selects the name under subsection (a) shall be 
deemed to be a reference to the post office as named 
by such State. 
‘‘(2) EXCEPTION.—Paragraph (1) does not 
apply with respect to a Federally named post office. 
‘‘(d) LIMITS.— 
‘‘(1) FEDERALLY NAMED FACILITIES.—A State 
may exercise the authority under subsection (a) to 
select the name of a Federally named post office 
only if, not later than 30 days prior to exercising 
such authority, the legislature of such State submits 
to Congress a notice identifying the post office for 
which the name will be selected and the name by 
which such post office will be known and designated. 
‘‘(2) FEDERAL PREEMPTION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed to limit the authority of 
the Federal Government to select the name by 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:56 Oct 05, 2022
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8975.IH
H8975
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
which a facility of the United States Postal 
Service, including a post office, will be known 
and designated. 
‘‘(B) PREEMPTION.—A selection by the 
Federal Government of the name by which a 
post office will be known and designated shall 
supercede and preempt any previous selection of 
the name of such post office by a State under 
subsection (a). 
‘‘(e) FEDERALLY NAMED POST OFFICE DEFINED.— 
In this section, the term ‘Federally named post office’ 
means a post office— 
‘‘(1) for which the Federal Government selects, 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
name by which such post office will be known and 
designated; and 
‘‘(2) with respect to which a State has not exer-
cised the authority under subsection (a) after the 
latest such selection by the Federal Government.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
for chapter 4 of title 39, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following new item: 
‘‘417. State post office naming authority.’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:56 Oct 05, 2022
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H8975.IH
H8975
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS