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

U.S. Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville are pushing to hold the United States Postal Service (USPS) accountable by introducing a companion bill to U.S. Rep. Dale Strong’s Postal Executive Responsibility, Fiscal Oversight, and Results-based Management (PERFORM) Act.

Tying Pay to Performance

This legislative effort comes on the heels of Rep. Strong introducing the bill in the U.S. House last week with the full support of Alabama’s congressional delegation. The PERFORM Act aims to align the Postmaster General’s compensation with real-world outcomes, banning bonuses if the agency falls short of specific financial, operational, or reporting benchmarks.

Senator Britt emphasized that the current system is broken, noting that failing to meet basic standards should not be rewarded. She argued that just as a private sector CEO wouldn't receive a bonus after missing performance targets, the Postmaster General should be held to the same standard when serving the public.

Accountability for the USPS

Senator Tuberville echoed these sentiments, highlighting how vital the postal service is for everyday tasks like mailing bills and invoices. He expressed his commitment to fostering accountability within the organization to ensure it operates more effectively.

Under the proposed legislation, the Postmaster General would be blocked from receiving performance-based bonuses if the USPS:

• Reports a net loss for the fiscal year.
• Fails to reach nationwide service performance targets.
• Receives an adverse audit finding.
• Fails to provide required reports to Congress.

Additionally, the bill mandates an annual report to Congress that breaks down executive bonuses and evaluates both financial and service performance at the national and district levels. The USPS Office of Inspector General would be tasked with an annual review to ensure total compliance.

Representative Strong remains firm in the mission to improve postal reliability. "Alabamians deserve a Postal Service that delivers their mail on time and a Postmaster General who is accountable for results," he stated. "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."

You can review the full text of the bill here.