USPS bonuses targeted by Senate bill from Britt, Tuberville; follows one in House by Strong

Alabama’s U.S. Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville are turning up the heat on the United States Postal Service. On Monday, the senators introduced a companion bill to U.S. Representative Dale Strong’s Postal Executive Responsibility, Fiscal Oversight, and Results-based Management (PERFORM) Act, aiming to align executive pay directly with agency success.

Holding Leadership Accountable

This legislative push arrives on the heels of Rep. Strong’s initial introduction of the bill in the House last week, which currently holds the support of the entire Alabama House delegation. The core mission of the legislation is simple: stop the flow of bonuses to the Postmaster General when the USPS fails to hit fundamental financial and operational benchmarks.

"In just about any profession, you don’t get rewarded for failing—except at the United States Postal Service. It’s time that changed," said Senator Britt. She emphasized that federal leadership should be held to the same standards as a private CEO, noting that if the Postal Service cannot meet its performance metrics, compensation should reflect that reality.

Senator Tuberville echoed these sentiments, highlighting the critical nature of the service to millions of Americans who depend on the USPS for everything from bills to personal correspondence. "The last thing we need to be doing is handing out bonuses to reward poor management," Tuberville added. "I’m glad to join Senator Britt to introduce this bill to provide accountability and incentivize better results out of the USPS."

Defining the PERFORM Act

Under the proposed legislation, performance-based bonuses for the Postmaster General would be off the table if the USPS reports a net loss, misses nationwide service targets, receives an adverse audit, or fails to meet Congressional reporting requirements during the fiscal year.

To ensure transparency, the bill mandates an annual report to Congress detailing executive bonuses, financial standing, and service performance at both national and district levels. This report would be due within 30 days of each fiscal year's end, with the USPS Office of Inspector General tasked with an annual review to ensure strict compliance.

Rep. Strong remains optimistic about the united front in Washington. "Alabamians deserve a Postal Service that delivers their mail on time and a Postmaster General who is accountable for results," Strong said. "With Alabama’s entire congressional delegation united behind this effort, we’re sending a clear message: it’s time for the U.S. Postal Service to deliver."

For those interested in the specifics, the full text of the PERFORM Act is available for public review.