{"id":38986,"date":"2026-02-06T10:44:24","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T15:44:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/?p=38986"},"modified":"2026-02-06T10:44:24","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T15:44:24","slug":"postmaster-general-david-steiners-feb-5-usps-board-of-governors-meeting-remarks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/2026\/02\/06\/postmaster-general-david-steiners-feb-5-usps-board-of-governors-meeting-remarks\/","title":{"rendered":"Postmaster General David Steiner\u2019s Feb. 5 USPS Board of Governors meeting remarks"},"content":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON \u2014 2\/6\/26 – Below are the prepared remarks of Postmaster General and CEO David Steiner, delivered during the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors open session on Feb. 5, 2026.<\/em><\/p>\n

Good afternoon. Thank you, as always, to Chairwoman McReynolds, and thank you to our Board of Governors, and all of you in attendance in person or online today.<\/p>\n

We gather today in the wake of two major winter weather events whose effects are still being felt by thousands of Americans.<\/p>\n

As always, we prepared early and have been first to mobilize in many of the affected markets, and first to help communities recover. Even in the face of delays, we will continue to serve and closely monitor the situation to ensure we keep our employees safe and keep mail and packages moving.<\/p>\n

Of course, our entire industry will see the effect of these events in our service numbers. We are required to report service performance information for our mail products using a methodology that does not account for the effect of extraordinary events that are outside our control.<\/p>\n

This approach is not informative for our customers or the American public and is inconsistent with industry norms. We plan to communicate on our public service dashboard about the significant impact of the winter storms on our service performance, and we are also developing an approach to reflect the impact of extraordinary events in our service scores.<\/p>\n

These uncontrollable, and often unpredictable events test us every year, and as we have for 250 years, we rise to the occasion.<\/p>\n

Before I continue on to talk about our business, I wanted to talk about two of our greatest assets. First is Tom Marshall. For 30 years Tom\u2019s counsel was instrumental in driving the Postal Service forward \u2026 30 years of dedication to the organization, our Board of Governors, and to our country.<\/p>\n

Not only did I get an opportunity to serve with Tom, but I also had the distinction of being a General Counsel myself at one time. And I can tell you that based on that unique experience that Tom is the best of the best.<\/p>\n

In addition, I want to thank Ronnie Jarriel, who concluded his service as USPS\u2019s Chief Logistics and Infrastructure Officer and Executive Vice President in December. Ron was instrumental to the growing success of our network operations, including as our first-ever Vice President overseeing the strategy behind our vehicle fleet upgrades.<\/p>\n

I sincerely thank Tom and Ron for their service and wish you all the best in retirement.<\/p>\n

So … We are here today, one month of 2026 down \u2026 one month into a new year that has already started with excitement, energy, \u2026 of course, some challenges \u2026 but also with so much momentum.<\/p>\n

A big part of this early momentum is thanks to our holiday performance, where the Postal Service showed up in a major way. When this group last gathered in November, we were just entering our peak season \u2014 one of the most critical times of the year, when USPS must go the extra mile to serve communities, businesses, and families in a measurable and demonstrable way.<\/p>\n

And I\u2019m proud to report: we delivered.<\/p>\n

Based on our own metrics \u2014 and validated by leading industry analytics company Shipmatrix \u2014 we saw significant improvements in service performance, in on-time delivery, and in customer satisfaction across the country.<\/p>\n

Not only did we pass our biggest stress test; we were the most improved among the industry.<\/p>\n

That didn\u2019t happen by accident.<\/p>\n

It happened because we invested in the right places and built a stronger network \u2026 and \u2014 critically \u2014 learned to operate it effectively and with more agility. We were able to manage this advanced, new network while adjusting, responding, and solving problems faster \u2014 all to keep holiday mail and packages moving.<\/p>\n

And while I\u2019m proud of what we accomplished together, I also want to be clear that \u201cmost improved\u201d is great \u2014 but it\u2019s not the finish line. We want to be the best.<\/p>\n

Our holiday performance reflects operational improvements and our growing expertise in how we run this massive network. We can and will do better, but where we\u2019re falling behind is a misaligned financial and business model \u2014 one that limits how quickly we can adapt to the market.<\/p>\n

We don\u2019t get to choose whether the market changes. We only choose whether we\u2019re flexible enough to meet it. And as I have said before, we cannot cost-cut our way to prosperity.<\/p>\n

We have to grow \u2026 strategically, commercially, and in a way that strengthens service while enhancing the power of our brand.<\/p>\n

And although I say we can\u2019t cost-cut our way to prosperity, we can certainly cut costs. We continue to move forward with our network transformation initiatives to reduce costs and increase efficiency, while providing more reliable service.<\/p>\n

We also recently put together a team to look at all aspects of our business to determine where we can reduce costs or reduce or eliminate capital. Like any large organization we need to constantly look at how we can improve in all of our costs, revenue and customer service. But for now, the primary focus will be revenue and customer service.<\/p>\n

From my perspective, there are solutions we can control \u2026 and there are constraints that we can\u2019t control. But one thing is for certain.<\/p>\n

I \u2014 and our leadership team \u2014 will keep advocating and pushing for the changes that support our long-term stability.<\/p>\n

Let me start with what we can control \u2014 what we\u2019re doing now, and the directions we\u2019re headed, to stimulate this growth.<\/p>\n

In January, USPS hosted a Last-Mile Symposium, where customers gathered here at HQ to learn about our newest initiative: the ability to fully capitalize on one of the crown jewels of the United States Postal Service \u2014 our last-mile network.<\/p>\n

Allowing customers to bid on last-mile capacity is building a new, win-win partnership model. It improves their service while reducing costs and builds revenue for the Postal Service.<\/p>\n

We showed our customers a new way of working with USPS … a way that is more transparent, better adapted to today\u2019s ecommerce landscape, and most of all \u2014 flexible to their needs. And to date, more than 1,200 companies and individuals have requested to join the portal. Not all 1,200 will be qualified bidders, but the sheer number shows the dramatic interest in our last mile.<\/p>\n

Why this matters is that we\u2019re giving customers the ability to fit OUR network to THEIR business \u2026 no longer forcing their business to fit our bureaucracy.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s what flexibility looks like in practice.<\/p>\n

And this progress should also be a clear sign: the last-mile bid portal isn\u2019t just a single initiative. It\u2019s a model for how USPS can embrace flexibility \u2014 and new thinking \u2014 to grow.<\/p>\n

We have more in our control \u2014 more assets, more capabilities, and more opportunities \u2014 that we can adapt and bring to market. As we look at 2026, I see growth priorities in: Finding and enhancing strategic partnerships that expand reach, volume, and relevance \u2026<\/p>\n

Bolstering flagship products that improve service and reliability \u2014 improvements that customers can really feel \u2026<\/p>\n

And, leveraging our first-mile assets and capabilities \u2014 from collection, to retail, to returns, to upstream logistics \u2014 so we capture value earlier in the pipeline.<\/p>\n

I believe that these things we can control can help us evolve\u2026 help us create and maintain a stronger, more modern posture in today\u2019s market.<\/p>\n

Now, to what we can\u2019t control \u2014 the persisting administrative, legislative, and regulatory pressures that Chairwoman McReynolds touched upon minutes ago. The pressures that continue to limit our options and our prosperity \u2026 and make it harder to operate like a modern enterprise that can cover its costs.<\/p>\n

I echo the Chairwoman\u2019s call urging Congress to raise our borrowing authority \u2014 a limit not changed in decades but needed more than ever during this period of USPS\u2019s historical transformation.<\/p>\n

Our borrowing authority must reflect current capital needs \u2014 including $20 billion in deferred maintenance \u2014 and account for the extraordinary growth in our revenues and assets since that debt limit was established way back in the early 1990s when our revenue was about half what it is today.<\/p>\n

In addition, we believe the Office of Personnel Management should take swift executive action to make common-sense reforms to our Civil Service Retirement System obligations, allowing us to save billions of dollars in costs \u2026<\/p>\n

And the Postal Regulatory Commission must recognize our dire financial situation and not limit our ability to adjust rates to reflect the cost of our universal service mandate.<\/p>\n

Instead, we need a pricing system that is modern and flexible, and the PRC needs to expeditiously consider our proposals to correct the deficiencies in the current system.<\/p>\n

As eloquently referenced by Commissioner Ann Fisher in her dissent to the recent order, I don\u2019t believe the PRC\u2019s actions reflect or recognize the current realities, and I would urge them to provide more weight to the current financial position of the USPS in their future deliberations.<\/p>\n

These are not abstract policy debates. They directly impact our ability to invest, to modernize, to compete \u2026 and to protect the universal service we provide to the American public.<\/p>\n

I know we are all aware of these external challenges, but we also want to look internally to honor the lifeblood of our organization \u2026 the more than 640,000 men and women of the United States Postal Service.<\/p>\n

I want to acknowledge their hard work, their tenacity, and their impact. In addition to the changes I discussed to make the Postal Service financially viable, we also want to look at the cultural changes needed to make that viability sustainable over the long term.<\/p>\n

But we need to have alignment at all levels of the organization. And that starts with me as Postmaster General \u2014 to set the standard for our culture, the connective tissue between all of us.<\/p>\n

That means listening to and learning from each other. Closing the gap between decision and execution. It also means breaking down silos where needed and spurring collaboration. Because the more aligned we are, the faster we can solve problems \u2026 and the more flexible we can be when conditions inevitably change.<\/p>\n

So, I\u2019ve now hit the six-month mark in my service as Postmaster General. A milestone I\u2019m certainly honored by.<\/p>\n

My learning will continue, but I\u2019ve been able to see the fruits of the Postal Service\u2019s investment in an unrivaled mail and package network. I\u2019ve seen how we are hitting our stride in managing this new network.<\/p>\n

I am so excited to see where we go from here and couldn\u2019t be more appreciative to the organization for embracing this outsider. After only six months, I can say that I share the pride of bleeding postal blue.<\/p>\n

My final message I want to leave everyone with today \u2026 is to think differently \u2026 Think differently in how we partner \u2026 in how we grow \u2026 in how we\u00a0think<\/em>.<\/p>\n

We must be willing to test new models \u2014 like last-mile bidding \u2014 and then scale what works.<\/p>\n

We must continue being flexible \u2014 moving faster, reducing barriers, and improving service to Americans, in the face of challenges old and new.<\/p>\n

This year, America celebrates its 250th birthday. Well, the Postal Service has been around even longer. And we\u2019ll be around for another 250 years more, because we\u2019ve always evolved with the country and the people we serve.<\/p>\n

So, let\u2019s keep evolving \u2026 Let\u2019s keep modernizing \u2026 Let\u2019s think differently and build a Postal Service that can move with speed, with accountability, and with the flexibility that the future demands.<\/p>\n

And finally, thank you to our leadership and management team and to our Board of Governors.<\/p>\n

And most importantly, thank you to the employees of the United States Postal Service who deliver for the American people every day.<\/p>\n

# # #<\/p>\n

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<\/figure>\n

The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to more than 170 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is celebrating its 250th year of service to customers amidst a network modernization plan aimed at restoring long-term financial sustainability, improving service, and maintaining the organization as one of America\u2019s most valued and trusted brands.<\/p>\n

The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON \u2014 2\/6\/26 – Below are the prepared remarks of Postmaster General and CEO David Steiner, delivered during the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors open session on Feb. 5, 2026. Good afternoon. Thank you, as always, to Chairwoman McReynolds, and thank you to our Board of Governors, and all of you in attendance in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30360,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38986","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-breaking","category-usps-news","last_archivepost"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38986","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38986"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38986\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38987,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38986\/revisions\/38987"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30360"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38986"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38986"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38986"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}