S. 5373

119 S5373 IS: USPS Executive Benefit and Bonus Removal Act
 U.S. Senate
 2026-08-07
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 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 II  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  S. 5373  IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES   August 7, 2026   Mr. Rounds  introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the  Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs    A BILL
To amend title 39, United States Code, to limit the compensation and benefits provided to executive officers of the Postal Service, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   USPS Executive Benefit and Bonus Removal Act  .
2.
Prohibition of Certain Executive Fringe Benefits
Section 1003 of title 39, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
(e)
Limitation of Executive Fringe Benefits
(1)
Definitions
In this subsection:
(A)
Covered Executive Officer
The term  covered executive officer —
(i)
means the Postmaster General, the Deputy Postmaster General, any Postal Service officer or employee serving in a Postal Career Executive Service position at level II or above, or any successor executive pay classification; and
(ii)
does not include the Inspector General of the Postal Service.
(B)
Deferred Compensation
The term  deferred compensation  includes any nonqualified deferred compensation arrangement, supplemental executive retirement plan, or similar arrangement under which compensation is earned in one period but paid in a later period, whether or not subject to  section 409A  of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(C)
Fringe Benefit
The term  fringe benefit  includes the following:
(i)
A wellness reimbursement or similar wellness incentive payment, unless offered on substantially the same terms to substantially all career employees of the Postal Service.
(ii)
Parking or a parking allowance, except space made available on the same terms as to non-executive employees at the same duty station.
(iii)
Financial planning, tax preparation, estate planning, or similar personal financial advisory services.
(iv)
Retirement counseling services, unless offered on substantially the same terms to substantially all career employees of the Postal Service.
(v)
Reimbursement for enrollment or renewal fees for TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, CLEAR, or any similar trusted traveler or expedited-screening program.
(vi)
Membership dues or fees for any airline club, airport lounge program, hotel loyalty tier, or similar travel-amenity program.
(vii)
Any relocation expense, allowance, bonus, or benefit provided in connection with, or in anticipation of—
(I)
the hiring, appointment, or commencement of service of the officer;
(II)
the retirement or separation from service of the officer; or
(III)
any other change in the officer's status with the Postal Service.
(2)
Limitation on fringe benefits
Notwithstanding subsection (a) or any other provision of law, the Postal Service may not provide, pay for, or reimburse, directly or indirectly, on behalf of any covered executive officer, any fringe benefit.
(3)
Exception for official travel
Paragraph (2) may not be construed to prohibit reimbursement of ordinary and necessary travel expenses incurred in the performance of official duties, consistent with applicable Federal travel regulations.
(4)
No Circumvention
(A)
No substitutes
The Postal Service may not provide a covered executive officer with increased base pay, a bonus, deferred compensation, or any other form of current or deferred compensation, that is designated, in whole or in part, as a substitute for a benefit prohibited under paragraph (2).
(B)
No limitation on base pay
Nothing in this paragraph limits the authority of the Postal Service to set base pay under subsection (a).
(5)
Reimbursement Required
A covered executive officer who receives a benefit prohibited under paragraph (2) after the effective date of this subsection shall reimburse the Postal Service for the fair market value of such benefit.
(6)
Prohibition on Premium-Class Air Travel
(A)
In general
Notwithstanding subsection (a) or any other provision of law, the Postal Service may not pay for, reimburse, or otherwise provide, directly or indirectly, first-class or business-class air travel accommodations for any covered executive officer.
(B)
Reimbursement Required
A covered executive officer who receives air travel accommodations prohibited under subparagraph (A) after the effective date of this subsection shall reimburse the Postal Service for the value of such accommodations.
 .
3.
Limit on Compensation
Section 1001 of title 39, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
(f)
Limit on Compensation
(1)
Limit
No officer, executive, or employee of the Postal Service may receive compensation greater than that of the President under section 102 of title 3.
(2)
No Circumvention
The Postal Service may not provide a covered executive officer (as defined in section 1003(e) of this title) with a bonus, deferred compensation, or any other form of current or deferred compensation in order to circumvent the compensation limit set in paragraph (1).
 .
4.
Restriction on Bonuses for Postmaster General
Section 202 of title 39, United States Code, is amended in subsection (c) by—
(a)
striking  The  and inserting—
(1)
Powers of the Governors
The
 ; and
(b)
adding at the end the following:
(2)
Limit on compensation
Notwithstanding the provisions of section 3686 of this title, the Governors shall not approve any bonus, award, or other monetary compensation beyond basic pay for the Postmaster General for any fiscal year in which the total expenditures of the Postal Service exceeded the revenues of the Postal Service (including both appropriated and non-appropriated funds).
 .
5.
Rule of Construction
Nothing in this Act, or the amendments made by this Act, shall be construed to affect—
(1)
wellness, parking, or retirement-related benefits generally available to Postal Service employees who are not covered executive officers (as defined in section 1003(e) of title 39, United States Code, as amended by this Act);
(2)
any benefit provided to a bargaining-unit employee pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement entered into under  chapter 12  of title 39, United States Code; or
(3)
any compensation described in section 423(b) of title 5, United States Code.