The Postal Service Reform Act of 2017, HB 756, would raise postage rates for political parties that are recognized by the Federal Election Commission as “national committees” and “state committees.” The bill passed the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on March 16, 2017. It had been introduced on January 31, 2017, by Congressman Jason Chaffetz, and has seven Republican co-sponsors and eight Democratic co-sponsors.

The bill makes many other changes as well. Here is a summary of the bill’s provisions.

Ever since 1976, political parties have enjoyed the ability to send postal mail at the non-profit rates. Originally only the Democratic and Republican Parties could use non-profit rates, but a U.S. District Court ruling in 1980, Greenburg v Bolger, expanded that to all parties recognized as national committees.