Angelo Cueto, Office of Personnel Management Program Manager of Operations and Program Services, joins Bob to discuss the Postal Service Health Benefits Program (PSHBP) Open Season (November 10- December 8). Angelo and Bob talk about navigating the complexity of the open season and how participants should make the best use of the open season resources.

Kevin Moss, editor of the Consumers' Checkbook Guide to PSHBP Plans, joins Bob to discuss strategies to choosing a health insurance plan during the Postal Service Health Benefits Program Open Season (November 10 - December 8). Kevin and Bob talk about how to maximize health coverage, premium increases and benefit changes. In addition, they explore how Medicare participants may exercise their health plan options. Also, Bob talks about 2026 Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) cost-of-living-adjustments.

Joy Sanzone and David Neu of the US Postal Service Office Of Inspector General (OIG) join Bob to discuss their new "White Paper" that explores the evolution of the USPS' retail network and how the network is adapting, or not adapting, to the the dynamic postal environment.  Joy, David and Bob talk about how the Postal Service's "universal service obligation" informs the postal retail footprint, whether the obligation needs to be more clearly defined and if there is something to learn from the experience of foreign postal authorities. In addition, Bob  references the upcoming Postal Service Health Benefits Program Open Season and the departure of Postal Regulatory Commission Chairman Michael Kubayanda from the agency. 

NAPS Secretary-Treasurer James (Jimmy) Warden joins Bob to discuss a variety of issues that impact supervisory and managerial level postal employees, as well as matters of interest to the broad USPS  community. In part, Jim and Bob talk about NAPS' aggressive lobbying to ensure a smooth 2025 Postal Service Health Benefits Program Open Season, and NAPS' continued congressional outreach to protect employee benefits and promote USPS success. In addition, Jim provides a brief update on postal supervisor, manager and postmaster "pay talks" and outlines how NAPS helps protect the due process rights of EAS-level postal employees.  

Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-IL) joins Bob to discuss the newly established bipartisan Congressional Postal Caucus. Reps. Budzinski and Jack Bergman (R-MI) co-chair the caucus. The congresswoman and Bob talk about why members of Congress felt it necessary to create the caucus. In addition, Rep. Budzinski and Bob explore the coalition's important mission, its advocacy on behalf of the Postal Service, universal service and postal stakeholders.

Earlier this week, President Donald Trump threatened to sign an Executive Order to abolish vote-by-mail. We are re-posting the NAPS Chat episode on which National Postal Museum Curator Carrie Villar discusses the history of vote by mail in the United States and its importance to the country. In addition, Bob summarizes NAPS efforts to ensure a smooth 2025 Postal Service Health Benefits Program Open Season. 

Former Washington Post columnist Joe Davidson joins Bob to discuss his reflections on reporting about the federal and postal workforce, and governmental operations. Joe David authored the Federal Insider column and previously wrote for the Wall Street Journal and the Philadelphia Inquirer. Moreover, Joe has been a trusted and respected reporter on issues that now dominate the operations of the federal government. 

NAPS Executive Vice President Chuck Mulidore joins Bob to discuss NAPS' successful efforts to defeat USPS employee cuts in the FY 2025 Budget Reconciliation Act. Chuck and Bob also talk about a July 2 Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Inspector General report, which warned of impending danger to the 2025 Postal Service Health Benefits Program open season. Chuck and Bob review NAPS' activities on Capitol Hill to ensure that OPM has the necessary resources to conduct the open season effectively. Finally, Chuck and Bob chat about potential EAS re-classifications due to plant changes, a July 24 Senate hearing  on two nominees to the USPS Board of Governors, and the 2025 "Cure for the Summertime Blues" SPAC Raffle.

Rep. Suhas Subramanyan (D-VA) joins Bob to discuss congressional activities having a direct impact on postal and federal employees, and his impressions of his first six months in the House of Representatives. Congressman Subramanyan serves on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, which has jurisdiction over the Postal Service and the federal workforce. In addition, Bob provides a summary of the June 24 House postal hearing and recent "budget reconciliation" actions that could affect postal and federal employee pay and benefits.

Bob reflects on the legacy of late Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and provide an update on NAPS' fight to protect postal benefits from congressional attacks on them. In addition, Bob provides an update on USPS governance changes.