I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 9229 
To provide free post office boxes to individuals who are unhoused or 
experiencing housing instability, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 30, 2024 
Mr. SCHIFF (for himself, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. NORTON, Mr. JACKSON of Illi-
nois, Mr. CARSON, Ms. LEE of Pennsylvania, Ms. LEE of California, Mrs. 
WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. CA´RDENAS, Mr. EVANS, and Ms. SCANLON) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Over-
sight and Accountability 
A BILL 
To provide free post office boxes to individuals who are 
unhoused or experiencing housing instability, 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. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Mail Accessibility and 
Inclusion for Low-Income Families Act’’ or the ‘‘MAIL 
Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. POST OFFICE BOXES FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE 
UNHOUSED OR EXPERIENCING HOUSING IN-
STABILITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the United States Postal 
Service shall issue regulations providing that an unhoused 
or housing unstable individual is eligible for a post office 
box without any fees if such unhoused or housing unstable 
individual submits to the Postmaster General, at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such information as 
the Postmaster General determines appropriate, proof 
that the annual income of such unhoused or housing un-
stable individual does not exceed the poverty line, as estab-
lished by the Director of the Office of Management and 
Budget and revised by the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services in accordance with section 9902(2) of 
title 42, United States Code, or that such unhoused or 
housing unstable individual is one of the following: 
(1) An individual receiving assistance under a 
State program funded under part A of title IV of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.). 
(2) Receiving housing assistance or benefits 
under any Federal program for assistance for rental 
housing, including— 
(A) the programs for rental assistance 
under section 8 of the United States Housing 
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Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f), including the 
housing choice voucher program and the pro-
gram for project-based voucher assistance; 
(B) the public housing program under such 
Act; 
(C) the program for supportive housing for 
elderly persons under section 202 of the Hous-
ing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q); 
(D) the program for supportive housing for 
persons with disabilities under section 811 of 
the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable 
Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 8013); and 
(E) the programs for rural housing under 
title V of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 
1471 et seq.). 
(3) Enrolled in the Medicaid program under 
title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 
et seq.). 
(4) A member of a household receiving assist-
ance under the supplemental nutrition assistance 
program established under the Food and Nutrition 
Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.). 
(5) Enrolled in the special supplemental nutri-
tion program for women, infants, and children estab-
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lished under section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act 
of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786). 
(b) UNHOUSED OR HOUSING UNSTABLE INDIVIDUAL 
DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘unhoused or hous-
ing unstable individual’’ means an individual who is— 
(1) homeless (as defined in section 103 of the 
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 11302)); or 
(2) at risk of homelessness (as defined in sec-
tion 401 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 11360)). 
(c) REIMBURSEMENT OF FORGONE REVENUE.—Sec-
tion 2401(c) of title 39, United States Code, is amended 
by inserting ‘‘and section 2 of the MAIL Act’’ after 
‘‘3406’’. 
SEC. 3. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND REPORTS. 
(a) IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Post-
master General shall submit to the Committee on Over-
sight and Accountability of the House of Representatives, 
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs of the Senate, and the Committees on Appropria-
tions of the House of Representatives and the Senate a 
plan for carrying out this Act. 
(b) PROGRESS REPORTS.—Not later five years after 
the date on which Postmaster General submits the plan 
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required under subsection (a), and every five years there-
after, the Postmaster General shall submit to the commit-
tees described in such subsection a report on the provision 
of post office boxes to unhoused or housing unstable indi-
viduals (as defined in section 2) pursuant to this Act. 
Æ 
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