March 01, 2012

Lately there has been much written about the ‘death’ of the postal service has we know it. Article after article tells us that maybe it is time for USPS to go private – maybe it is time for the postal service to cut delivery days from 6 to 5 days – or less – maybe it is time for USPS to drastically reduced the number of post offices, and P&DC’s, across our nation.

Almost all news tells us that the culprit behind the trouble USPS is experiencing is lower mail volume, but mostly the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006 (PDF) that requires USPS to pay huge sums of cash into the U.S. Treasury to cover future health and retirement benefits. In fact, here is a list of required payments by USPS covered  by this bill:

POSTAL SERVICE RETIREMENT AND HEALTH BENEFITS FUNDING
The United States Postal Service shall pay into such Fund–

• $5,400,000,000, not later than September 30, 2007;
• $5,400,000,000, not later than September 30, 2008;
• $5,400,000,000, not later than September 30, 2009;
• $5,500,000,000, not later than September 30, 2010;
• $5,500,000,000, not later than September 30, 2011;
• $5,600,000,000, not later than September 30, 2012;
• $5,600,000,000, not later than September 30, 2013;
• $5,700,000,000, not later than September 30, 2014;
• $5,700,000,000, not later than September 30, 2015; and
• $5,800,000,000, not later than September 30, 2016.

Not later than September 30, 2017, and by September 30 of each succeeding year, the United States Postal Service shall pay into such Fund the sum of–

• the net present value computed under paragraph (1); and
• any annual installment computed under paragraph (2)(B).
  Read these here: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?c109:1:./temp/~c109qSHvYU:e164244:

The P.A.E.A. bill was introduced by Rep. Thomas Davis [R-VA11] and had three cosponsors:

1. Danny Davis [D-IL7]
2. Henry Waxman [D-CA30]
3. John McHugh [R-NY23]

See sponsors:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR06407:@@@P

So, both republicans and democrats sponsored this bill. The bill passed in the House of Representatives by voice vote. - a record of each representative’s position was not kept. The bill passed in the Senate by Unanimous Consent and a record of each senator’s position was not kept of this either.

You may re-read this bill here:

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-109hr6407ih/pdf/BILLS-109hr6407ih.pdf