I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1582 
To clarify and increase the restrictions on political activities that are applica-
ble 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 pur-
poses. 
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 ‘‘Nonpartisan Post-
master General Act of 2021’’. 
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SEC. 2. POSTAL SERVICE OFFICERS’ POLITICAL ACTIVITIES 
LIMITED. 
(a) HATCH ACT OFFICER APPLICABILITY.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Section 410 of title 39, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(e) For the purposes of applying subchapter III of 
chapter 73 of title 5, and any regulations thereunder, to 
the Postal Service pursuant to subsection (b)(1), the fol-
lowing are deemed to be employees of the Postal Service: 
‘‘(1) The Postmaster General. 
‘‘(2) The Deputy Postmaster General. 
‘‘(3) Any individual holding a position in the 
Postal Service to which such individual was ap-
pointed by the President, by and with the advice and 
consent of the Senate, including a Governor ap-
pointed under section 202.’’. 
(2) FURTHER RESTRICTED EMPLOYEES.—Sec-
tion 7323(b)(2)(B) of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(A) in clause (i)(XIV), by striking ‘‘or’’ at 
the end; 
(B) in clause (ii), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
clause: 
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‘‘(iii) a person holding a position described in 
section 410(e) of title 39.’’. 
(b) POLITICAL ACTIVITIES OF BOARD MEMBERS.— 
Section 202 of title 39, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following new subsections: 
‘‘(f) While serving as a member of the Board, an indi-
vidual may not— 
‘‘(1) hold a political position; or 
‘‘(2) solicit funds for— 
‘‘(A) the campaign of a candidate for elec-
tion for a Federal, State, or local elected office; 
or 
‘‘(B) a Federal, State, or local political 
party (as defined in the Federal Election Cam-
paign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30101 et seq.)). 
‘‘(g) For purposes of this section, an individual holds 
a political position if such individual— 
‘‘(1) holds Federal, State, or local elected office; 
‘‘(2) files paperwork to be a candidate for elec-
tion for a Federal, State, or local elected office; or 
‘‘(3) is an officer, director, or employee of a 
Federal, State, or local political party (as defined in 
subsection (f)(2)(B)).’’. 
(c) SEVERABILITY.—If any provision of this Act, an 
amendment made by this Act, or the application of such 
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provision or amendment to any person or circumstance is 
held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act, the 
amendments made by this Act, and the application of the 
provisions of such to any person or circumstance shall not 
be affected thereby. 
SEC. 3. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES REQUIRED PRIOR TO AS-
SUMING DUTIES OF POSTMASTER GENERAL 
OR DEPUTY POSTMASTER GENERAL. 
The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. 
App) is amended— 
(1) in section 101(a)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘(a) Within’’ and inserting 
‘‘(a)(1) Within’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2)(A) An individual proposed pursuant to section 
202 of title 39, United States Code, to assume the position 
of Postmaster General or Deputy Postmaster General 
shall file the report required by paragraph (1) before as-
suming such position. 
‘‘(B) An individual proposed for such a position may 
not carry out any duty of the position until the report sub-
mitted by the individual pursuant to subparagraph (A) is 
reviewed and signed by the Director of the Office of Gov-
ernment Ethics under section 106(b)(1), and any action 
taken by that individual in the performance of any func-
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tion or duty of the applicable position before the date on 
which such signature occurs shall have no force or effect.’’; 
and 
(2) in section 103(b)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘(b) The President’’ and 
inserting ‘‘(b)(1) The President’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) Notwithstanding subsection (a), an individual 
proposed pursuant to section 202 of title 39, United 
States Code, to assume the position of Postmaster General 
or Deputy Postmaster General shall file the report re-
quired under section 101(a) with the Director of the Office 
of Government Ethics.’’. 
Æ 
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