S. 4000: U.S. Postal Service Improvements Act of 2010

111th Congress · introduced 2010-12-02 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2010-12-02 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

U.S. Postal Service Improvements Act of 2010

Plain summary

U.S. Postal Service Improvements Act of 2010 - Directs the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to make a determination or redetermination of postal surplus or supplemental liability consistent with the report submitted by the Postal Regulatory Commission to the United States Postal Service (USPS) and Congress on June 29, 2010. Requires OPM to redetermine the postal surplus or supplemental liability as of the close of FY2010 and for each year thereafter through FY2043. Provides that if the result for a fiscal year is a surplus, that amount shall remain in the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund until distribution is authorized as follows:(1) if there is a surplus as of the close of FY2010-FY2016, such amount or any part of it may be transferred to the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund; (2) if there is a surplus as of the close of FY2017 and each year thereafter, such amount or any part of it may be transferred to such Fund to pay any liability of such Fund; and (3) if all liability to such Fund is paid, amounts may be transferred to the Employees' Compensation Fund or to USPS for repayment of any obligation issued by it. Provides procedures for the transfer of such amounts. Authorizes arbitration boards to consider the financial condition of USPS in rendering decisions. Directs: (1) USPS and the Commission to coordinate actions to identify ways to increase the use of negotiated service agreements for market dominant products by USPS; (2) the Postmaster General to submit a comprehensive strategic plan for guiding area and district field office structure decisions and a plan on the co-location of post offices at retail facilities; and (3) the Commission to submit annual reports on the fiscal stability of the U.S. mailing industry. Establishes in USPS and the Commission an advocate for competition, who shall be responsible for promoting full and open competition, promoting the acquisition of commercial items, and challenging barriers to such acquisition. Directs USPS and the Commission: (1) to issue a policy on contracting officer delegations of authority; (2) to make any delegation of authority outside the functional contracting unit for the procurement of goods or services which exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold available on its website; and (3) within a specified after the award of any noncompetitive contract which exceeds such threshold, to make publicly available the documents containing its justification and approval. Sets forth provisions regarding the review of ethical issues, a ban on certain contracts, and contract voidance and recovery of funds in specified circumstances. Provides for the conversion of retirement eligible postal and federal employees on workers compensation to retirement when they reach retirement age, subject to specified requirements.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

U.S. Postal Service Improvements Act of 2010

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME] reported raising $22.5 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Fiscal year: The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.
Obligation: A binding promise by a government agency to pay money, for example by signing a contract or awarding a grant. Spending data such as USAspending.gov counts money when it is obligated, which can be before it is actually paid out.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-111s4000.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/111/s>

Record fed-us-cong111-s4000 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong111 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong111