Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act

The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (S. 662) proposes a major restructuring of the United States Postal Service (USPS) to modernize how it sets prices and manages its finances. The bill would split mail into two categories: "market-dominant" products like First-Class letters, which would have price increases capped by the rate of inflation, and "competitive" products like priority packages, which would be priced more like private delivery services.

For everyday citizens, this bill aims to ensure more predictable postage costs and more transparent service standards for delivery speed and reliability. A significant portion of the bill also changes how the USPS funds its future obligations, requiring the agency to pre-fund health benefits for its retirees and establishing a new Postal Regulatory Commission to provide stronger independent oversight of postal operations and consumer complaints.