Since the Senate passed a postal reform bill on April 25, the Postal Service has lost over $700 million; House Republican leaders propose delaying until July
WASHINGTON – One month after the U.S. Senate passed its comprehensive, bipartisan bill to reform the U.S. Postal Service, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), co-author of the 21st Century Postal Service Act and chairman of the Senate subcommittee that oversees the Postal Service, called additional attention to the Postal Service’s record losses while the U.S. House of Representatives delays further action on a postal reform bill.
Today in the House, Republican Leader Eric Cantor announced in a memo to House Republicans that his intention is to delay any decision on bringing postal reform legislation to the House floor until after Independence Day in July. Between now and July 4, the Postal Service will lose an additional $1 billion, exacerbating the financial crisis the service faces ahead of two expensive payments to the U.S. Treasury this fall.
“The U.S. Postal Service is hemorrhaging money at a historic pace, and Congress can’t stand idly by and allow it to continue to creep towards total financial collapse,” said Sen. Carper. “The longer the House delays action, the more losses the Postal Service racks up – losses that continue to threaten a mailing industry that employs over 8 million people and generates almost $1 trillion in economic activity each year. It is irresponsible to further postpone action – creating more uncertainty, undermining confidence in the Postal Service’s future, and harming its ability to build new business. Today’s memo to the House majority raises more questions about the House’s intentions because it doesn’t even guarantee that the bill will get a vote. The House should act to debate and pass a bill as soon as possible.”
Although the Postal Reform Act of 2011 was passed out of the relevant House committee in October 2011, leaders in the House have yet to schedule a vote on the bill. The Senate, however, has passed the bipartisan 21st Century Postal Service Act, co-authored by Sens. Carper, Joe Lieberman (ID-Conn.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Scott Brown (R-Mass.). This legislation gives the Postal Service the flexibility and resources it needs to right-size, modernize, and remain competitive in the 21st Century.
Retired Postal Employee, These delays on the part of congress for partisan reasons only, and that’s all this is, reinforces my decision not to cast a vote for congress in the November election. Vote for President and anything else on the ballot; however, give congress what they have given us these past two years, nothing, and make that in the form of a non-vote! Maybe then, they will realize that the name of the game is compromise. John.
Dems created social security .it’s not about cruelty or how people feel.this country is full of winey baby’s who feel thy are entitled to everything .I’ve got news for ya no one owes anyone anything however you do owe it to yourself to make you own way in life. Although , government needs to do it’s basic function and leave everything alone they only complicate,confuse and abuse.
The senate bill is a joke.11 out of 30 amendments . They try to please everyone instead of what needs to be done. Making cuts is hard and ugly but it’s what has to be done.get to it!!!! Cut future retirement payments. Cut Saturday mail.let’s get it done. Quit playing around. Government could learn a few lessons from the private sector example fed ex ups
This is why the PMG is doing what he is doing. No action from Washington.
This is about a DESIRE to see more losses, so they can cut up and hand out the postal services to private companies, in whom these guys either have a stake, or that are paying them in some form or fashion to make sure the USPS dies a NEEDLESS death!
I have been Republican all my long life, and I am getting sick, sick, sick of them and their mean, cruel, heartless, self-oriented profit ways. No, I am not an occupier, or anything like that, but I do believe they have the absolute wrong mentality about the Postal Service and what it is intended to do and be.
They milked us dry of our revenues, just like they have with Social Security.
Once both are but a shell, they want to privatize it, making even more personal profit from their votes.
When cash cows like the USPS and SS are drained, they butcher them and move on.