The 2024 election has come to an end and although not all letter carriers will agree on the representatives that were elected, I think we all agree that we are glad the onslaught of political mailings will stop for now.

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      As for the results of the U.S. House and Senate races in the state of Michigan there weren’t many surprises as all eleven incumbent House candidates retained their seats. However, there was one seat previously held by Democrats in the seventh district that flipped Republican. Where Republican Tom Barrett won the seat vacated by Democrat Elissa Slotkin who had ran for and was elected to the Senate replacing Debbie Stabenow.
 

      Although not all the NALC’s preferred candidates won their respective races in the 2024 election it’s time to turn the page and look to the future by building new relationships within Congress. We need to educate our newly elected officials, and some of the old ones, on issues affecting letter carriers and seek their support for bills that are introduced on behalf of the NALC and the Postal Service.
 

      On 11/12/2024, H.R. 82 the Social Securities Fairness Act passed its first challenge to become law with a 327-75 vote in the House. Twelve of the thirteen Michigan members of the U.S. House voted for the bill with only R - John Moolenar of the second district voting against it. The House was able to bring the bill for a vote under a shortcut procedure called the suspensions calendar, where amendments aren’t allowed but passage requires a twothirds vote rather than the usual simple majority. The bill had 330 House co-sponsors, more than the two-thirds majority needed and passed with almost that exact amount. In some instances, members co-sponsor bills for political reasons but don’t necessarily vote for them once they reach the floor, however, that wasn’t the case with H.R. 82 as it maintained its broad support from both parties in the House.

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      Although, H.R. 82 passed in the House and its companion Senate Bill S. 597 currently has 62 Co-sponsors which is more than enough to pass in the Senate, there is no date set for S. 597 to be brought to the floor. If it fails to be brought to the floor in the 118th Congress both S. 597 and H.R. 82 will expire at the end of the 2024 term. Putting us in a race against time to have S. 597 and all other bills introduced in the 118th Congress brought for a vote before the term ends. If we’re unsuccessful and these bills expire, we’ll be back to square one with the 119th Congress in getting equivalent bills reintroduced with no guarantee they’ll have the needed support to pass. Therefore, we all need to do are part and contact our representatives seeking their support and press them to get these bills on the floor for a vote so the progress that’s been made doesn’t go to waste.

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“Tomorrow, every Fault is to be amended; but that Tomorrow never comes.” – Benjamin Franklin

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      We are close and can see the finish line in getting the Social Securities Fairness Act passed but aren’t quite there yet. We’re asking that you contact your respective members of Congress by going to the NALC Take Action page or by scanning the QR code below to let them know we need them to support S. 597 and have it brought to a vote in the 118th Congress. At press time we are still waiting for the Senate to act.