Protect Our Letter Carriers Act of 2024

Protect Our Letter Carriers Act of 2024

This bill requires or authorizes certain actions related to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).

The bill requires the Department of Justice to appoint an assistant U.S. attorney in each judicial district to coordinate and supervise the investigation and prosecution of various crimes related to postal services (for example, assault on a postal service employee, breaking into a post office, or obstruction of mails).

The bill also requires the U.S. Sentencing Commission to amend sentencing guidelines to provide that the assault or robbery of a postal employee shall be treated the same as the assault of a law enforcement officer.

Additionally, the bill authorizes appropriations for the USPS to install high security collection boxes and replace older versions of the universal mailbox key with electronic versions.

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7629 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7629

To facilitate the implementation of security measures undertaken by the 
         United States Postal Service, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 12, 2024

  Mr. Fitzpatrick (for himself, Mr. Landsman, Mr. Reschenthaler, Ms. 
  Caraveo, and Mr. Norcross) introduced the following bill; which was 
  referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the 
     Committee on Oversight and Accountability, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To facilitate the implementation of security measures undertaken by the 
         United States Postal Service, 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 ``Protect Our Letter Carriers Act of 
2024''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) United States Postal Service letter carriers must be 
        protected from acts of violence; and
            (2) the Attorney General should vigorously prosecute any 
        case of assault against a postal employee.

SEC. 3. FUNDS TO UPGRADE COLLECTION BOXES.

    There is authorized to be appropriated $1,400,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2025 through 2029 to the United States Postal Service to 
carry out, as determined by the United States Postal Service--
            (1) the installation of high security collection boxes; and
            (2) the replacement of older versions of the universal 
        mailbox key, also known as the arrow key, with electronic 
        versions.

SEC. 4. COORDINATION OF PROSECUTION OF OFFENSES AGAINST THE UNITED 
              STATES POSTAL SERVICE.

    (a) In General.--Section 542 of title 28, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) The Attorney General shall, in consultation with the United 
States attorney for the district, appoint in each judicial district an 
assistant United States attorney with principal responsibility in the 
district to coordinate and supervise the investigation and prosecution 
of alleged offenses committed--
            ``(1) in violation of chapter 83 of title 18;
            ``(2) in violation of sections 2115, 2116, or 2117 of title 
        18; or
            ``(3) against a carrier or person entrusted with the mail 
        and having custody thereof, in violation of section 111 of 
        title 18.''.
    (b) Deadline for Compliance.--The Attorney General shall comply 
with section 542(c) of title 28, United States Code, not later than 1 
year after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 5. SENTENCING GUIDELINES WITH RESPECT TO ROBBERY AGAINST A POSTAL 
              EMPLOYEE.

    Not later than May 1 following the first year that begins after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the United States Sentencing 
Commission shall amend the sentencing guidelines and policy statements 
promulgated under section 994 of title 28, United States Code, to 
provide that the assault or robbery of a postal employee, including 
conduct committed during the immediate flight after the commission of 
such an assault or robbery if the conduct creates a substantial risk of 
serious bodily injury, shall be treated in the same manner as the 
assault of a law enforcement officer.
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