Postal Service Clusterbox Responsibility Act

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

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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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