The House of Representatives passed the $2.2 trillion coronavirus aid bill, previously passed by the Senate, by voice vote, and it now goes to the President for his signature.  The CARES Act includes the following provisions for the United States Postal Service.  The increase in borrowing authority should take care of liquidity concerns in the near-term while the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, House Committee on Oversight and Reform, and postal stakeholders continue to work on more comprehensive legislation.

SEC. 6001. COVID–19 BORROWING AUTHORITY FOR THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE.

(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section—

(1) the term ‘‘COVID–19 emergency’’ means the emergency involving Federal primary responsibility determined to exist by the President under section 501(b) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.  5191(b)) with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19); and

(2) the term ‘‘Postal Service’’ means the United States Postal Service.

(b) ADDITIONAL BORROWING AUTHORITY.—Not withstanding section 2005 of title 39, United States Code, or any other provision of law, if the Postal Service determines that, due to the COVID–19 emergency, the Postal Service will not be able to fund operating expenses without borrowing money—

(1) the Postal Service may borrow money from the Treasury in an amount not to exceed $10,000,000,000—

(A) to be used for such operating expenses; and

(B) which may not be used to pay any outstanding debt of the Postal Service; and

(2) the Secretary of the Treasury may lend up to the amount described in paragraph (1) at the request of the Postal Service, upon terms and conditions mutually agreed upon by the Secretary and the Postal Service.

(c) PRIORITIZATION OF DELIVERY FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES DURING COVID–19 EMERGENCY.—Not withstanding any other provision of law, during the COVID–19 emergency, the Postal Service—

(1) shall prioritize delivery of postal products for medical purposes; and

(2) may establish temporary delivery points, in such form and manner as the Postal Service determines necessary, to protect employees of the Postal Service and individuals receiving deliveries from the Postal Service.