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2\/02\/17 – Large mailer organizations\u00a0such as The American Catalog Mailers Association<\/a> (press release below) and The Coalition for a 21st Century Postal Service (press release below)\u00a0fully support H.R. 756, the Postal Service Reform Act of 2017<\/a> – and, as it looks as of today, so do postal unions. So, what are we missing here? Here’s what we’re missing – these organizations are not subject to having the benefits they were promised by their employer when hired thrown out and replaced with benefits that will serve their needs. Simply put – this postal reform bill, if passed as is, will FORCE, yes, FORCE, postal retirees into Medicare coverage whether they desire it or not. This portion of H.R. 756 needs to be excluded or corrected to afford current postal retirees to continue to receive the benefits (namely…health coverage under FEHB) they were promised when they were hired and then again when they retired from USPS, If postal annuitants desire to sign up for Medicare coverage then allow them that privilege – BUT, don’t force them into this coverage. REPEAL P.A.E.A. to correct this financial burden for USPS and leave current retirees benefits alone. Rick Owens – PEN<\/p>\n American Catalog Mailers Association Press Release<\/strong><\/p>\n WASHINGTON,\u00a0Feb. 1, 2017\u00a0\/PRNewswire-USNewswire\/ —\u00a0The American Catalog Mailers Association wholeheartedly endorses the just-released Postal Service Reform Act of 2017, a critical milestone toward resolving the health of our nation’s Postal Service, which drives some 7.5 million jobs and\u00a0$1.4 trillion in commerce. The bill was introduced by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on\u00a0January 31st<\/sup>.<\/p>\n “We are delighted with the progress to resolve an enormous problem that only Congress can solve, and the House seems intent on doing just that,” says\u00a0Bob Runke, ACMA’s Vice Chairman and CEO of Barco Products. “We commend Chairman Chaffetz, Ranking Member Cummings and the bipartisan co-sponsors for all their hard work in the past session and their leadership in the new Congress.”<\/p>\n The ACMA believes that by gaining bipartisan support from Congress, as well as Postal Service management, its labor unions and the mailing community, this bill can truly make a difference to jobs in America while protecting critical infrastructure that all Americans rely on.<\/p>\n “Passage of this bill is vital for the future survival of our Postal Service,” says the ACMA’s President & Executive Director Hamilton Davison. “Absent Congressional action, users of the mail will face increasing uncertainty that will drive business out of the mail and effectively force unprecedented taxpayer support to keep the USPS afloat – and nobody wants that.” Since 1971, the US Postal Service has been fully funded by postage. It receives no taxpayer funding.<\/p>\n “We sincerely hope the House of Representatives will quickly push this bill forward,” Davison adds. “It has been studied, vetted, positively scored and is clearly good for all interests. Congress must demonstrate this is not business as usual and get this commonsense legislation passed into law.”<\/p>\n