119-hr2825

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2825 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 2825

 To amend title 39, United States Code, to require the United States 
 Postal Service to continue maintaining cluster mailboxes that the 
 Postal Service has historically maintained, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 April 10, 2025

Mr. Castro of Texas (for himself and Mr. Johnson of Georgia) introduced 
 the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight 
 and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To amend title 39, United States Code, to require the United States 
 Postal Service to continue maintaining cluster mailboxes that the 
 Postal Service has historically maintained, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Postal Service Clusterbox 
Responsibility Act''.

SEC. 2. HISTORICALLY MAINTAINED CLUSTER BOX UNITS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 29 of title 39, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``

Sec. 2904. Historically maintained cluster box units
 ``

    (a) In General.--The Postal Service shall, in accordance with 
this section, maintain covered cluster box units, including--
 ``

    (1) repairing and replacing covered cluster box units; 
 and
 ``

    (2) adding mailboxes to covered cluster box units in 
 accordance with subsection
            (c) (1) .
 ``

    (b) Maintenance Determination.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--The Postal Service shall determine 
 whether a cluster box unit is a covered cluster box unit.
 ``

    (2) Application.--A covered person for a cluster box unit 
 seeking a determination that such cluster box unit is a covered 
 cluster box unit shall submit to Postal Service an application 
 at such time and in such manner as the Postal Service 
 determines, and containing--
 ``
        (A) documentation evidencing that the Postal 
 Service has primarily maintained such cluster box unit 
 for a period of not less than 20 years;
 ``
        (B) written permission for the Postal Service to 
 maintain such cluster box unit; and
 ``
            (C) such other information as the Postal Service 
 determines appropriate.
 ``

    (3) Postal service documentation.--In making the 
 determination under paragraph

    (1) , the Postal Service shall--
 ``
        (A) undertake a reasonable investigation to 
 identify any documents and other information of the 
 Postal Service or reasonably available to the Postal 
 Service that are relevant to such determination; and
 ``
        (B) consider such documents and other 
 information.
 ``

    (4) Deadline.--The Postal Service shall make the 
 determination under paragraph

    (1) with respect to a cluster box 
 unit and notify the covered person who submitted the 
 application under paragraph

    (2) with respect to such cluster 
 box unit not later than one month after the date on which such 
 covered person submitted such application.
 ``
            (c) Additional Mail Receptacles.--
 ``

    (1) Postal service additions.--
 ``
        (A) In general.--The Postal Service shall add a 
 mailbox to a covered cluster box unit if a covered 
 person for such covered cluster box unit submits to the 
 Postal Service a notice under subparagraph
        (B) and the 
 Postal Service determines that such an additional 
 mailbox is necessary.
 ``
        (B) Notice.--A covered person for a covered 
 cluster box unit seeking the addition of a mailbox to 
 such covered cluster box unit shall submit to the 
 Postal Service a notice at such time, in such manner, 
 and containing such information as the Postal Service 
 determines appropriate, including evidence of the need 
 for such additional mailbox.
 ``

    (2) Additions by others.--If a covered person for a 
 covered cluster box unit adds a mailbox to such covered cluster 
 box unit in accordance with all other laws and regulations, the 
 Postal Service shall maintain such covered cluster box unit, 
 including any such additional mailboxes, in accordance with 
 this section.
 ``
            (d) Maintenance by Others.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed to prohibit or otherwise limit a covered person for a covered 
cluster box unit from maintaining such covered cluster box unit.
 ``

    (e) Limits.--The Postal Service shall not perform any maintenance 
under this section that--
 ``

    (1) is not necessary for the function of a covered 
 cluster box unit, except that the Postal Service shall make 
 repairs to the extent that such repairs are incident to 
 maintenance that is necessary for the function of the covered 
 cluster box unit;
 ``

    (2) is required as a result of a covered person for a 
 covered cluster box unit or any individual residing at an 
 address served by such covered cluster box unit--
 ``
        (A) intentionally or willfully damaging such 
 covered cluster box unit, as determined by the Postal 
 Service; or
 ``
        (B) making any change to such covered cluster box 
 unit that is not necessary for the function of such 
 covered cluster box unit; or
 ``

    (3) pertains to the structure of a building.
 ``

    (f) Reimbursement.--If the Postal Service incurs or will incur 
costs to perform maintenance under this section on or for a covered 
cluster box unit that is required by circumstances creating a legal 
liability on an individual or entity (other than the United States) to 
pay damages with respect to such maintenance, the Postal Service may 
request the beneficiary to--
 ``

    (1) if the beneficiary enforces such liability, assign to 
 the Postal Service any right of the beneficiary to share in 
 money or property received in satisfaction of such liability to 
 the extent of such costs; or
 ``

    (2) if the beneficiary does not enforce such liability--
 ``
        (A) assign to the Postal Service any right of 
 action such beneficiary may have to enforce such 
 liability; or
 ``
        (B) enforce such liability and comply with 
 paragraph

    (1) .
 ``

    (g) Termination.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--A covered cluster box unit shall cease 
 to be a covered cluster box unit if--
 ``
        (A) a covered person for a covered cluster box 
 unit withdraws permission for the Postal Service to 
 maintain such covered cluster box unit;
 ``
        (B) a beneficiary that is a covered person 
 refuses a request from the Postal Service described in 
 subsection

    (f) with respect to maintenance for such 
 covered cluster box unit; or
 ``
            (C) the Postal Service permanently ceases 
 delivery and collection of mail to all addresses served 
 by a mailbox in such covered cluster box unit or any 
 associated receptacle for parcels.
 ``

    (2) Withdrawal of permission.--The owner of a covered 
 cluster box unit may withdraw permission for the Postal Service 
 to maintain such covered cluster box unit only by submitting to 
 the Postal Service a written notice.
 ``

    (h) Cluster Box Unit Maintenance Fund.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--There is established in the Treasury of 
 the United States a revolving fund to be called the Cluster Box 
 Unit Maintenance Fund, which shall be available to the Postal 
 Service without fiscal-year limitation to carry out this 
 section.
 ``

    (2) Deposits.--Notwithstanding 

section 2003

    (b) , there 
 shall be deposited in the Fund, subject to withdrawal by check 
 by the Postal Service, amounts appropriated for the use of the 
 Postal Service to carry out this section.
 ``
            (i) === Definitions. ===
-In this section:
 ``

    (1) Cluster box unit.--The term `cluster box unit' means 
 a centralized unit of individually locked compartments for the 
 delivery and collection of mail.
 ``

    (2) Covered cluster box unit.--The term `covered cluster 
 box unit' means a cluster box unit that--
 ``
        (A) is owned by an individual or entity, other 
 than a public entity; and
 ``
        (B) the Postal Service has primarily maintained 
 for a period of not less than 20 years.
 ``

    (3) Covered person.--The term `covered person' means, 
 with respect to a cluster box unit, an individual or entity 
 that may give to and withdraw from the Postal Service 
 permission to maintain such cluster box unit.
 ``

    (4) Primarily maintained.--The term `primarily 
 maintained', with respect to a cluster box unit, means paid for 
 or performed the majority of the maintenance necessary for the 
 function of the cluster box unit, including repairs and 
 replacing the cluster box unit when necessary.''.

    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 29 of 
title 39, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new item:

``2904. Historically maintained cluster box units.''.
            (c) Regulations.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the United States Postal Service shall issue 
regulations carrying out the amendments made by this Act.
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