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H.R. 39 97th Congress House

Postal Service Employees Political Activities Act of 1981

Official title: A bill to amend title 39, United States Code, to restore to Postal Service employees their rights to participate voluntarily, as private citizens, in the polit… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: A bill to amend title 39, United States Code, to restore to Postal Service employees their rights to participate voluntarily, as private citizens, in the political processes of the Nation, to protect such employees from improper political solicitations, and for other purposes.

Introduced: January 5, 1981 See on congress.gov
Government Operations and Politics Campaign fundsCrime preventionElection candidatesEmployee rights
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Federal employees and officialsGovernment employees' political activitiesLabor and EmploymentPolitical ethicsPolitical rightsPostal Services and FacilitiesPostal employeesVoting
This bill died when the 97th Congress ended
It never became law before the 97th Congress (1981–1982) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 8 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Aug 21, 1981
Unfavorable Executive Comment Received From US Postal Service.
Aug 20, 1981
Unfavorable Executive Comment Received From US Postal Service.
Aug 20, 1981
Unfavorable Executive Comment Received From OMB.
Mar 24, 1981
Unfavorable Executive Comment Received From GAO.
Feb 9, 1981
Referred to Subcommittee on Postal Personnel and Modernization.
Feb 3, 1981
Executive Comment Requested from GAO, OMB, US Postal Service.
Jan 5, 1981
Referred to House Committee on Post Office and Civil Service.
Jan 5, 1981
Introduced in House
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 Latest action August 21, 1981

Unfavorable Executive Comment Received From US Postal Service.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Postal Service Employees' Political Activities Act of 1981 - Declares it to be the policy of Congress to encourage employees of the United States Postal Service to exercise their rights to participate or refrain from participating in political processes.

Prohibits such employees from: (1) using their official authority to influence the result of any election or the political action of any person; (2) using any information obtained through employment and not publicly available for any political purposes; (3) giving or offering to give a political contribution to any individual either to vote or refrain from voting; (4) soliciting or receiving a political contribution to vote or refrain from voting; (5) knowingly giving a political contribution to a superior; (6) knowingly soliciting or receiving a political contribution from another employee with respect to whom such employee is a superior; or (7) knowingly soliciting or receiving a political contribution in specified facilities or from any person who has or is seeking business relations with the employee's agency. Directs the Postal Service and the Postal Rate Commission to prescribe certain exemptions to such prohibitions.

Prohibits employees from engaging in political activities while on duty, while wearing a uniform or official insignia identifying their position, or in designated areas.

Requires a postal employee to notify his agency (U.S. Postal Service or the Postal Rate Commission, as applicable) upon becoming a candidate for elective office. Permits such employee to take annual leave or leave without pay to engage in activities related to his candidacy.

Sets forth the penalties to be imposed against any employee who is found by the Merit Systems Protection Board to have violated provisions of this Act.

Requires the Postal Service to study and report to Congress on the effects of this Act on the political activities of employees, the merit system, and matters generally contributing to the improper use of official authorities or information by employees.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 39: Postal Service Employees Political Activities Act of 1981. 97th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/97-HR-39/
MLA
"H.R. 39: Postal Service Employees Political Activities Act of 1981." 97th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/97-HR-39/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 39, 97th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/97-HR-39/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 39: Postal Service Employees Political Activities Act of 1981](https://openamerica.io/bill/97-HR-39/)
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