Constitution Index · H.R. 8999 · 2026-05-21
To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 324 Washington Avenue, Suite 1 in Grand Haven, Michigan, as the "Ell Thomas Simantz Post Office Building".
Latest official status (2026-07-22): Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
Constitutional grade
A
Constitutional
This bill is a purely ceremonial naming of a federal post office facility. It does not expand federal power, restrict rights, or affect individual sovereignty. The action falls within Congress's enumerated authority over postal services under Article I, Section 8, Clause 7, and raises no constitutional concerns.
Article I, Section 8, Clause 7
SI-generated grade · passed automated checks (real Constitution citation, language rules) · not individually reviewed by a person · methodology · Report an error: hello@valuesforamerica.com
The five checks
Enumerated powers · passes
Congress has explicit authority under Article I, Section 8, Clause 7 to establish post offices and post roads. Naming a specific postal facility is a routine exercise of this power and does not exceed it.
Bill of Rights · passes
The bill does not implicate any of the first ten amendments. It restricts no speech, religion, assembly, press, petition, arms, quartering, search, self-incrimination, due process, trial, jury, or punishment rights.
Individual liberty · passes
The bill imposes no restrictions on personal liberty, property, speech, labor, or belief. It merely designates a name for a government building, which does not burden any individual right.
Decentralization · passes
The action is a federal naming decision for a federal facility, which is inherently a federal matter. It does not consolidate decision-making beyond the necessary level, as the facility is already under federal jurisdiction. The four-question test is satisfied because the naming of a federal building cannot be handled by individuals, local communities, or states without federal involvement.
Due process and takings · passes
The bill does not deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, nor does it take private property. It is a non-arbitrary, purely ceremonial designation with no due process implications.
Provenance
- Congress.gov: HR 8999 summary · fetched 2026-10-14 · official page ↗
Version history · never overwritten
| Grade | Graded | Rubric | Source hash | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A · #1003 | 2026-10-14 | vfa-constitutional-grade/1.0 | 1d12993e2e04 | current |
Cite this
Values for America. “Constitutional grade: H.R. 8999, To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 324 Washington Avenue, Suite 1 in Grand Haven, Michigan, as the "Ell Thomas Simantz Post Office Building"..” VFA Constitution Index, grade 1003 (rubric vfa-constitutional-grade/1.0), graded October 14, 2026. https://www.valuesforamerica.com/constitution-index/grades/1003. Accessed 2026-10-20.
Permalink: https://www.valuesforamerica.com/constitution-index/grades/1003
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