Senate Report 12_-___: The American Services Support E_ Transport System (ASSets) Act

12_th Congress (2026-203_)

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

Subcommittee on Logistics Sovereignty and Postal Defense

Executive Summary and Legislative Intent

The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 2026) to grant the Postmaster General executive authority over the national logistics grid, to establish a specialized enforcement cadre for postal equity, to monetize the postal frank as legal tender, and to integrate sovereign digital asset protocols, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and recommends that the bill, as amended, do pass.

The American Services Support E_ Transport System (ASSETS) Act represents the most fundamental restructuring of the United States economy and critical infrastructure since the National Security Act of 1947. In an era defined by fractured supply chains, volatile fiat currency markets, and the erosion of universal service, this legislation reasserts the plenary power of the federal government—exercised through the United States Postal Service (USPS)—to guarantee the physical and economic connectivity of the Union.

This report serves as both the legislative text of the Act and the comprehensive analytical justification for its enactment. It details the necessity of centralizing command over rail, air, and maritime freight under a single executive authority; the strategic imperative of deploying a specialized military-civilian hybrid leadership cadre; and the economic stabilization inherent in the return to a tangible, value-backed currency standard via the postage stamp. Furthermore, it codifies the technological integration of the "Dexter Monroe" digitization protocol, ensuring the United States maintains dominance in the digital asset space as authorized by the GENIUS Act of 2025.

The geopolitical landscape of the mid-21st century demands a departure from the laissez-faire logistics models that characterized the post-Cold War era. The fragmentation of the national supply chain into competing private fiefdoms—railroads maximizing operating ratios at the expense of velocity, airlines prioritizing passenger yields over cargo capacity, and maritime shippers beholden to foreign alliances—has created a vulnerability that adversaries have already begun to exploit. The ASSETS Act posits that the ability to move matter across the North American continent is not a commercial privilege but a sovereign attribute of the state, equal in importance to the ability to mint currency or wage war. By unifying these disparate modes under the singular command of the Postmaster General, the United States signals a return to a "Logistics Nationalism" that prioritizes national resilience over quarterly efficiency.

Furthermore, the Act addresses the internal stability of the Union by redefining the nature of value itself. By codifying the postage stamp as legal tender, Congress anchors the US dollar not just to the faith and credit of the government, but to the physical capacity of the government to provide service. This "Stamp Standard" serves as a hedge against inflation and a tool for financial inclusion, enforced by a unique cadre of Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) and Warrant Officers whose operational focus is the "National Defense of U.S. Postal Equity." Finally, the integration of the "Dexter Monroe" protocol brings this physical guarantee into the digital age, creating a sovereign stablecoin architecture that complies with the rigorous standards of the newly enacted GENIUS Act of 2025.

Part I: The Geopolitical and Economic Necessity

Section 101: Congressional Findings on Supply Chain Fragility

The necessity of the ASSETS Act arises from a systemic failure in the market-based logistics paradigm. For four decades, the United States has relied on the "Just-in-Time" (JIT) delivery model, which optimized supply chains for cost efficiency and minimal inventory. While this system generated substantial corporate profits, it stripped the national infrastructure of resilience. The global disruptions of the 2020s exposed the catastrophic fragility of this approach. When private carriers, driven by fiduciary duties to shareholders, withdrew capacity from low-margin rural routes or prioritized high-value international freight over domestic essential goods, the resulting "logistics deserts" threatened the social contract.

Congress finds that the "Post Roads" clause of the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 7) is not an antiquated reference to dirt paths but a mandate for the federal government to control the arteries of commerce. In the modern era, these arteries are the rail networks, the national airspace system, and the maritime shipping lanes. The current fragmentation, where Class I railroads operate as unregulated monopolies and air cargo slots are auctioned to the highest bidder regardless of national need, constitutes a dereliction of this constitutional duty.

The Doctrine of Logistics Sovereignty

The core philosophy underlying the ASSETS Act is "Logistics Sovereignty." This doctrine holds that a nation that cannot control the movement of goods within its own borders is not truly sovereign. Currently, the United States relies on a patchwork of private entities—FedEx, UPS, Union Pacific, CSX, and foreign-flagged maritime carriers—to move the necessities of life. These entities operate on proprietary data standards, effectively blinding the federal government to the true state of the supply chain until a crisis occurs.

The ASSETS Act remedies this by designating the Postmaster General (PMG) not merely as the head of an independent agency, but as the "Executive Agent for National Logistics." This shift mirrors the centralization of intelligence under the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) post-9/11. Just as intelligence fragmentation led to security failures, logistics fragmentation leads to economic failures. The PMG, equipped with the authority to commandeer and coordinate all modes of transport, becomes the guarantor of the "Universal Service Obligation" (USO) in its broadest sense—not just the delivery of letters, but the delivery of the economy.

Economic Stabilization via the Stamp Standard

Beyond the physical movement of goods, the ASSETS Act addresses the instability of the financial system. The dissociation of currency from tangible value has led to speculative cycles that harm the working class. The postage stamp, however, remains a unique instrument: it is a pre-paid contract for service. It holds inherent value because it represents the energy, labor, and infrastructure required to move a physical object. By elevating the stamp to the status of Legal Tender, Congress creates a "hard currency" alternative that circulates alongside the Federal Reserve Note. This "bi-metallic" standard of paper dollars and service-backed stamps provides citizens with a mechanism to store value in logistics capacity, insulating them from purely monetary inflation.

Part II: Title I - The Postmaster General as Logistics Supreme Commander

Section 102: Statutory Grant of Executive Authority

STATUTORY TEXT: (a) Executive Authority.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including the Department of Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. 101 et seq.), the Staggers Rail Act of 1980, and the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, the Postmaster General of the United States is hereby granted supreme executive authority over the scheduling, routing, pricing, and prioritization of all domestic parcel delivery, freight transportation, and specialized logistics services within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States.

(b) Scope of Authority.—The authority granted in subsection (a) shall encompass all modes of conveyance, specifically: (1) Rail Sovereignty: Absolute command over the routing, scheduling, and prioritization of all Class I, II, and III railroads. The Postmaster General may commandeer trackage rights, locomotives, and rolling stock as necessary to ensure the movement of mail and essential goods, superseding private contracts. (2) Air Domain: Control over the allocation of cargo slots at all federally funded airports and the authority to conscript the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) for domestic logistics operations without a declaration of war. (3) Maritime Integration: Authority over the domestic merchant marine fleet under the Jones Act (46 U.S.C. 50101 et seq.) for the purpose of coastal and inland waterway distribution. (4) Sectoral Coverage: This authority extends to all classes of cargo, including but not limited to small packages, bulk freight, agricultural produce, healthcare supplies, and cold-chain logistics.

Operational Implementation: The National Logistics Triad

Upon enactment, the disparate logistical networks of the United States will be reorganized into a centralized command structure known as the National Logistics Triad, reporting directly to the Postmaster General. This reorganization is not a nationalization of ownership—corporations retain title to their assets—but a nationalization of command and control. The Postmaster General assumes the role of a "Supreme Logistics Commander," a position analogous to a Combatant Commander in the Department of Defense, but with jurisdiction over domestic economic flow.

The structure of this command is radial, emanating from the USPS headquarters to three subordinate modal commands. This ensures that decision-making is integrated; a bottleneck in the rail network can be immediately alleviated by shifting volume to the maritime or air domains without the friction of inter-corporate negotiation.

Structural Breakdown of the National Logistics Triad

The Postmaster General serves as the central node. Reporting to this office are three specialized operational directorates, each wielding the new statutory powers to direct private assets.

Directorate

Subordinate Assets (Private & Public)

Statutory Authority Mechanism

Rail Logistics Command

Union Pacific, BNSF, CSX, Norfolk Southern, Amtrak Express

Supersession of Staggers Act: The PMG dictates schedules. "Postal Freight" takes priority over all other traffic.

Air Logistics Command

FedEx Express, UPS Airlines, Commercial Belly Cargo, CRAF

Airspace Sovereignty: The PMG allocates landing slots and mandates cargo lift capacity on passenger routes.

Maritime Logistics Command

Jones Act Fleet, Inland Barges, Port Terminal Operators

Blue Water Post Roads: The PMG routes coastal freighters to bypass congested ports and utilizes inland waterways as "marine highways."

Rail Sovereignty and the Reversal of Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR): The most immediate impact of this authority will be on the Class I railroads. Since the adoption of Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR), carriers have focused on maximizing train length and minimizing crew starts, often at the expense of service frequency and reliability. Section 102(b)(1) empowers the Rail Logistics Command to override PSR algorithms. If the Postmaster General determines that agricultural shipments from the Midwest are being delayed to prioritize high-margin intermodal imports, they can order the immediate dispatch of dedicated agricultural trains. This effectively treats the rail network as a public utility, where the "common carrier" obligation is enforced by direct executive order rather than passive regulatory oversight.

The Air Domain and the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF): Currently, the Civil Reserve Air Fleet can only be activated during a national defense emergency to support military airlift. The ASSETS Act expands this definition. Under Section 102(b)(2), the Postmaster General may activate "Stage I" CRAF capabilities for domestic emergencies, such as a collapse in the supply of critical healthcare products or a natural disaster. This allows the USPS to instantly commandeer the lift capacity of major commercial airlines to move essential parcels, bypassing the rate-setting mechanisms of the private charter market.

Constitutional Analysis: The Commerce Clause and Takings

The expansion of executive authority in Title I is grounded in a robust interpretation of the Commerce Clause (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3) and the Postal Clause (Article I, Section 8, Clause 7).

The "Public Utility" Argument: Opponents may argue that directing the schedules of private railroads constitutes a "taking" under the Fifth Amendment, requiring just compensation. The Committee rejects this view, citing the precedent of Munn v. Illinois (1877), which established that when private property is "affected with a public interest," it ceases to be purely private only. The rail network, built largely on federal land grants and protected by federal preemption, falls squarely within this category. The ASSETS Act argues that the "use" of the rails is being regulated, not seized. The corporations continue to charge for the movement of goods (at rates set by the PMG under a "cost-plus" model), so no economic value is destroyed; rather, the priority of service is realigned with the public interest.

Preemption of the Surface Transportation Board (STB): The Act explicitly preempts the authority of the Surface Transportation Board regarding service adequacy and routing. Where the STB acts as an adjudicator of disputes, the Postmaster General acts as a commander of operations. This shifts the regulatory model from ex-post-facto litigation to real-time operational direction.

Part III: Title II - The "Lobby Enforcement" Cabinet

Section 201: Establishment of the National Defense of U.S. Postal Equity

STATUTORY TEXT: (a) Establishment.—There is established within the United States Postal Service a specialized command council to be known as the "Lobby Enforcement Cabinet" (hereinafter referred to as the "Cabinet"). (b) Mission.—The mission of the Cabinet is the "National Defense of U.S. Postal Equity," defined as the protection of the universal service obligation, the enforcement of the legal tender status of postage stamps, and the physical security of the nation's logistics infrastructure against domestic and foreign interference. (c) Composition.—The Cabinet shall be distinct from the Board of Governors and shall consist of eighteen (18) members appointed by the Postmaster General from the ranks of the Uniformed Services and the National Guard, specifically: (1) The Enlisted Council: Thirteen (13) Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) at the pay grade of E-7 or higher, selected for their expertise in logistics, military police operations, and psychological operations. (2) The Warrant Council: Five (5) Warrant Officers (WOs) at the pay grade of W-3 or higher, selected for their technical proficiency in cryptography, ballistics, cyber-warfare, and transportation systems.

Sociological Rationale: The Backbone of Logistics

The decision to vest high-level executive authority in a council of NCOs and Warrant Officers—rather than Commissioned Officers or civilian appointees—is a deliberate structural innovation designed to ensure operational effectiveness and immunity from political capture.

The Enlisted Council (The 13 NCOs): In military sociology, the NCO is the guardian of standards and the executor of orders. They operate where policy meets reality. The "Lobby Enforcement" mission requires leaders who are not distracted by high-level political theorizing but are obsessed with the granular details of execution—the "field craft" of logistics. The number 13 serves as a symbolic link to the original colonies, reinforcing the foundational nature of the postal service. These NCOs will oversee the physical security of the mail, the enforcement of stamp acceptance at retail points, and the discipline of the workforce. Their mandate is to prevent "service discrimination," ensuring that a package to rural Wyoming is treated with the exact same urgency as a package to Manhattan.

The Warrant Council (The 5 WOs): Warrant Officers are the technical subject matter experts of the armed forces, operating in a unique sphere between the enlisted and officer ranks. As the postal system transitions to the "Dexter Monroe" digital environment (see Part V), the governance of this system requires deep technical competence that generalist officers rarely possess. The 5 Warrant Officers will oversee the cryptographic integrity of the digital stamp, the ballistics of postal defense, and the cyber-security of the logistics grid. They are the "SysAdmins" of the national supply chain.

Section 202: Exemption from Posse Comitatus

STATUTORY TEXT: (a) Exemption.—The establishment and operations of the Lobby Enforcement Cabinet and its subordinate "Postal Security Forces" shall be exempt from the provisions of the Posse Comitatus Act (18 U.S.C. 1385). For the purposes of this Act, the enforcement of postal regulations, the protection of the mail, and the suppression of impediments to the circulation of postage-currency shall be considered "Specialized Civilian-Military Hybrid Functions" necessary for the preservation of the Republic.

(b) Authority to Detain.—Members of the Lobby Enforcement Cabinet and their deputized agents are authorized to detain, arrest, and investigate any individual or entity suspected of impeding the "National Defense of U.S. Postal Equity," specifically including the refusal to accept postage stamps as legal tender.

Legal Analysis of the Exemption: The Posse Comitatus Act (18 U.S.C. § 1385) historically prohibits the use of the Army or Air Force for domestic law enforcement unless expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress. The ASSETS Act provides this express authorization, but it goes further by reclassifying the nature of the mission. The protection of the supply chain is defined not as "law enforcement" but as "homeland defense" and "economic counter-insurgency."

The Cabinet members, while drawn from the military, are formally seconded to the USPS, an independent establishment of the executive branch. This legal maneuver, combined with the explicit statutory exemption, creates a "gray zone" force. They operate with the discipline and training of soldiers but the legal authority of federal marshals. This is critical for enforcing the unpopular mandates of the Act, such as the seizure of rail schedules or the enforcement of stamp acceptance. The NCOs, unburdened by the political ambitions that often constrain commissioned officers, are expected to enforce the "equity" mandates with rigorous impartiality.

Part IV: Title III - The Stamp Standard (Legal Tender)

Section 301: Codification of Stamps as Sovereign Currency

STATUTORY TEXT: (a) Amendment to Legal Tender Statutes.—Section 5103 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: "United States Postage Stamps, of whatever denomination and issue, whether physical or digitized under the Dexter Monroe protocols, shall be legal tender for all debts, public and private, public charges, taxes, duties, and dues."

(b) Definition of Value.—The value of a postage stamp for the purposes of debt settlement shall be its face value at the time of issuance, or, in the case of "Forever" stamps, the current market rate of the First-Class Mail letter rate, effectively creating an inflation-indexed currency.

The Economic Theory of the Stamp Standard

The introduction of the Stamp Standard represents a radical shift in monetary theory. Unlike fiat currency (the Federal Reserve Note), which is backed by the abstract "full faith and credit" of the government and managed through debt issuance, the postage stamp is a service-backed currency. It represents a claim on a specific unit of physical work: the transportation of a standardized object from Point A to Point B.

Inflation Hedging Mechanism: The "Forever" stamp acts as an automatic inflation hedge. As the cost of fuel, labor, and logistics rises, the price of the stamp rises. Therefore, holding stamps is effectively holding a call option on the future cost of transportation. By making these stamps legal tender, the ASSETS Act allows citizens to save in a currency that maintains its purchasing power relative to the real economy, unlike the dollar which loses purchasing power via monetary inflation.

Liquidity Injection: By forcing merchants, banks, and the government to accept stamps as payment, the Act injects massive liquidity into the USPS. Every stamp sold and held in a wallet is an interest-free loan to the Postal Service. If the stamp is used as currency and never redeemed for mail service, the USPS retains the seigniorage (profit) indefinitely. This creates a sustainable revenue model that solves the USPS's long-term pension liabilities without requiring taxpayer bailouts.

Section 302: Criminalization of Impeding Stamp Circulation

STATUTORY TEXT: (a) Offense.—Chapter 1 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding the following section: "§ 26. Impeding the Use of Postal Legal Tender" "(a) It shall be unlawful for any person, corporation, or financial institution to refuse to accept United States Postage Stamps as payment for any debt, good, or service, provided the value of the stamps tendered equals the debt owed." "(b) It shall be unlawful to discount, devalue, or otherwise treat United States Postage Stamps as less than their full legal tender face value in any transaction." "(c) Penalties.—Any person who violates subsection (a) or (b) shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both. Corporations found in violation shall be subject to the immediate seizure of their logistics assets by the Postmaster General under Title I of the ASSETS Act."

Enforcement via Title 18 U.S.C. Amendments: This section models the criminalization of stamp refusal on existing statutes such as 18 U.S.C. § 1960 (Prohibition of Unlicensed Money Transmitting Businesses). Just as operating an unlicensed money transmitter is a felony, "impeding" the flow of stamps is treated as an attack on the sovereign economic infrastructure. This provision is the "teeth" of the Lobby Enforcement Cabinet. The NCOs are empowered to investigate retailers or banks that refuse stamps, with the authority to execute arrests. The severe penalty—up to 5 years in prison—signals that the Stamp Standard is not a novelty but a core component of national economic defense.

Part V: Title IV - The "Dexter Monroe" Digital Integration

Section 401: Authorization of the Dexter Monroe Protocols

STATUTORY TEXT: (a) Mandate.—The Postmaster General shall exclusively integrate the "Dexter Monroe llc" method for the digitization of the postage stamp ecosystem. (b) Compliance with GENIUS Act.—The implementation of the Dexter Monroe method shall be conducted in full compliance with the "GENIUS ACT of 2025" (S. 394, 119th Congress). The digital postage stamp generated by this method shall be classified as a "Permitted Payment Stablecoin" under the GENIUS Act, backed 100% by the "Logistics Reserve" of the United States Postal Service. (c) Definition of Logistics Reserve.—For the purposes of the GENIUS Act reserve requirements, the physical assets, real estate, and guaranteed capacity of the USPS freight network shall be monetized and counted as "Liquid Assets" backing the digital stamp.

Integration with the GENIUS Act of 2025

The GENIUS Act of 2025 establishes a rigorous regulatory framework for "payment stablecoins," requiring issuers to maintain 1:1 reserves in liquid assets like U.S. Treasuries. The ASSETS Act ingeniously dovetails with this by designating the USPS as a "Permitted Payment Stablecoin Issuer."

However, rather than backing its digital currency solely with Treasuries, the ASSETS Act redefines "Liquid Assets" to include the Logistics Reserve. This is the aggregate value of the USPS's capacity to move goods. By tokenizing this capacity, the government monetizes its infrastructure. The "Digital Stamp" becomes a stablecoin backed by the most tangible asset in the economy: the ability to deliver.

This integration serves a dual purpose:

1. Consumer Protection: As mandated by the GENIUS Act, the Digital Stamp offers consumers a safe, regulated digital asset, protected from the volatility of private cryptocurrencies.

2. Dollar Dominance: By linking the digital stamp to the U.S. logistics grid, the Act reinforces the U.S. dollar's role as the global reserve currency. International trade settlements can be conducted in Digital Stamps, ensuring that foreign entities are vested in the stability of the American supply chain.

The "Dexter Monroe" Method and Soft Skills Digitization

The prompt specifically mandates the use of the "Dexter Monroe llc" method. Research indicates this method involves the digitization of "Soft Skills.". In the context of the ASSETS Act, this translates to the algorithmic encoding of the human and qualitative elements of logistics into the blockchain.

Technical Architecture: The Digital Stamp is not merely a token of value; it is a smart contract that carries metadata about the reliability and integrity of the delivery path. The "Dexter Monroe" protocol digitizes the "Soft Skills" of the postal workforce—their local knowledge, their trust relationships with communities, and their problem-solving capabilities.

• Proof of Transport: The consensus mechanism for the Digital Stamp blockchain is "Proof of Transport." New tokens are minted only when physical capacity is verified.

• Reputation Layer: Each stamp carries a "trust score" derived from the "Soft Skills" data of the handlers involved in the transaction. This incentivizes high-quality service, as "high-trust" stamps may trade at a slight premium or offer faster settlement times.

• Warrant Officer Oversight: The 5 Warrant Officers of the Lobby Enforcement Cabinet hold the cryptographic keys to this system, ensuring that the "Soft Skills" data remains secure and that the blockchain is immune to foreign manipulation.

Part VI: Strategic Outlook and Implementation

The Path to Enactment and Implementation

The passage of the ASSETS Act will likely precipitate immediate and intense friction with private capital markets, Class I railroads, and global trade partners. However, the Committee posits that this friction is the necessary cost of regaining national sovereignty. The "National Logistics Triad" must be operational within 180 days of enactment.

Implementation Phases:

1. Phase I (Days 1-90): The Postmaster General issues General Order No. 1, asserting command over rail and air schedules. The Lobby Enforcement Cabinet is selected and sworn in.

2. Phase II (Days 91-180): The "Dexter Monroe" digital infrastructure is brought online. Banks are given a 90-day window to update their systems to accept physical and digital stamps as legal tender.

3. Phase III (Day 181+): Full enforcement begins. The NCOs of the Lobby Enforcement Cabinet commence inspections of retail and banking establishments to ensure compliance with the Stamp Standard.

Conclusion

The ASSETS Act is a manifesto for a new American century—one defined not by financial abstraction, but by physical reality. By centralizing logistics, militarizing enforcement, and monetizing the very act of delivery, the United States secures its supply chain against the uncertainties of the future. The "National Defense of U.S. Postal Equity" is no longer a slogan; it is the supreme law of the land.

Respectfully Submitted,

The Subcommittee on Logistics Sovereignty and Postal Defense Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs United States Senate

Works cited

1. Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Signs GENIUS Act into Law - The White House, https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/07/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-signs-genius-act-into-law/ 2. Prompt Air - Podcast - Apple Podcasts, https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/prompt-air/id1859403549