Washington, Feb 8 –
Yesterday, Rep. Waters introduced H.R. 3916, the Protecting Post Offices Act, which would reduce the operating costs of the US Postal Service to provide continued service in urban and rural communities and save 28,000 American jobs. She is joined by American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO in support of this much needed legislation to stabilize the US Postal Service.
In 2011, USPS was expected to post a deficit in excess of $8 billion. “It has become clear that the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA) has had an adverse impact on Postal Service’s finances preventing them from becoming profitable once again. In the current environment of reduced mail volumes, inability to raise prices and the exceptional pre-funding payments into the Retiree Health Benefits Fund, the US Postal Service (USPS) has experienced incredible loss.”
The Protecting Post Offices Act would replace mandated Retiree Health Benefits Fund pre-funding amounts with actuary numbers for payment starting in 2012. H.R. 3916 would also prevent the closure of post offices in high poverty and unemployment areas, saving inner city and rural post offices from closure and preventing the loss of 28,000 letter carrier and postal worker jobs.
“The pre-funding requirements and restrictions on providing non-postal services mandated by PAEA has placed USPS in a very compromising position hampering it’s ability them to generate profits and stay competitive in this tough economy. As a result of this, USPS is slated to close 667 post offices across the nation, putting 28,000 Americans in jeopardy of losing their jobs. Our urban and rural communities have been hit the hardest by joblessness. We must do all we can to prevent further job loss in America.”
H.R. 3916 will also allow USPS to provide non-postal services, assisting them in revamping their business plan to increase profits and functionality of local post offices. Lastly, this bill will allow the Post Master General to change rates for market-dominant products without the approval of the Postal Regulatory Committee, allowing them to stay competitive with other mail servicing companies like FedEx and UPS.
“While the postage stamp remains one of America’s best bargains, it comes at a significant cost to the US Postal Service. This loss in profits has not only put the American postal workers in danger, it has also placed residents in urban and rural areas in jeopardy of losing reliable daily postal services, possibly missing out on time sensitive items like medication. I am confident that through the passage of this piece of legislation we will not only protect the American postal worker but assist in making the US Postal Service profitable again by keeping local post offices open, and increasing their functionality to better serve their communities.”
Can we get on with the gridlock? And get these promotional items out there by fathers day?
Pops would just love a 2012 Fishing licence along with some beer and nuts sent to his mailbox.
Six day service, more clerks for better window service.
Fire PMG and Staff.
Target abusive supervisors for removal.
Pay back the over FERS/CSRS payments.
Offer other services to the customers.
And yes you can ship the beer along with the nuts.
Who was it doing the killings in military religious campaigns in the 11th,12th and 13th century?
Who is it that have all these sex abuse cases against them?
Who is it that would want the birth of one of these deviant sex offenders?
Not I.
Joe Watusi…..give it a rest! Lay off the bogus posts and misinformation !!! The senate bill s1789 IS NOT acceptable and NEEDS amendments. Perhaps u should move on to another site to spew ur rhetoric. Yours is truly tiring, unneeded and unnecessary at this time. The PO is fighting for our livelihood so grow up! If u can’t help step OFF!!!!
Amen House. I need 7 years but would leave without penalty and out pay $25000.
Congresswoman Waters will need to understand basic economics of supply and demand and the decreasing need of the USPS as a provider of personal and business tranactions via the Postal service delivering communication to a physical address requiring a postage stamp with a 1-3 delivery time.
The demand for services provided by the USPS are declining and will continue to do so eresulting in further loss of revenue Cost effective operations must be introduced; 6 day mail delivry was a service needed in the 20th century. The advance of communication technology in 21st century has made the need for 6 day mail delivery obsolete. USPS must direct marketing efforts toward services in demand such as parcels and expedited mail such as Express and priority and advertise to gain market share. USPS founded Express mail but at present has less than 10%. FED X and UPS built prosperous profitable businesses on products USPS did not care to pursue in past times.
5 day mail delivery would reduce massive monatary saving in fuel-vehicle cost and carrier workhour cost. Reducing delivry from 302 days to 250 days is a large measurable $$$ savings.
Politicans must quit playing Post Office and deal with the ravaging monatary loss that will eventually put it on political life support. Do the surgery now or await the emergency which will come to be to sustain a pulse.
Why don’t we just raise the taxes on the rich and continue to fund the post office forever??? That will be the solution to our 16 Trillion dollar debt. idots!!!
I will hold my nose and vote DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD all the way down the ballot. Send the RRR’s a message. Let us put the anti-environmentalist Republicans on the endangered species list in 2012. They are talking about 13th century crap God this and anti fucking abortion that. Get real Jesus died 2000 years ago GET OVER IT! Was God on our side when we nuked Japan? Was God on our side when Israel attacked the Liberty to cover up the slaughter at El Arish in June of 1968? Lets stand up for the people of America and quit trying to destroy it. The revolution is coming I hope Ross and Issa have alot of friends with kevlar. This is French Revolution shit only a few years away. I hate the thought of abortion but if a woman wants to kill her kid then let her. The kid will probably be a miserable crack baby draining the system anyway. These stupid Republicans don’t want abortions but they won’t sanction free birth control. This riodiculous Catholic hangup over sex has to be ABORTED once and for all. EVERY SPERM IS SACRED CRAPOLA!!! They are the most deviant sex offenders anyway. Stay out of people’s bedrooms when half of these guys are Sandusky wannabes.
PWU Members Urged to Take Action As Senate Reviews Postal Reform
Postal reform is a hot topic in Congress as the Senate prepares to vote on the 21st Century Postal Service Act, and APWU President Cliff Guffey is urging union members to contact their senators and let them know: Senate bill 1789 is only acceptable in its current form.
As lawmakers review the bill, Guffey is asking union members to let their senators know that S. 1789 must be passed. “ It is crucial that we get our point across,” he said.
“The bill would force the Postal Service to keep open hundreds of mail processing centers, and thousands of post offices,” Guffey said. “By giving more substantial financial relief, the bill would strengthen the Postal Service, save jobs, and drive customers our way,” he added.
“APWU members have done a great job of getting the word out to legislators about our concerns,” Guffey added. “At this critical time, union members must keep up the good work.”
S-1789 will;
Set strict service standards.
Allow the USPS to recover over-payments the Postal Service made to its retiree pension funds.
Allow the USPS to offer Early Retirement Incentives.
Adequately address the requirement that forces the USPS to pre-fund future retiree health benefits.
Prevent the closing of small post offices.
Protects 6 day delivery.
Call Your Senators:
202-224-3121
(Capitol Switchboard)
[Click here for direct #s]
Tell them you Support
S. 1789 as it is currently written
emerg c usps reform is an example of how the govt is going to work for the future. this is not an emerg c like katrina but given the “neglect” it has been developed to look like that. “no politics” in usps revamp because red or blue it flies american eagle! and america is watching!
I would agree with Nick if it wasn’t for one thing. Vote them all out and you’re paying 446 more pensions on top of the outrageous salaries of the ones that you vote in to replace them! I don’t have a better answer…
post of 45 cents is a big bargain for the services available to, todays economy,
economy is chaning every day,month but for postal rates to change it takes more than year… this is a big hurdle,
usps is like a non profit, it runs on a slim line of margin
considering above conditions, for those trying to “kill” usps (for corporate profits) this is the best time, 2006 paea act is in favour for this making the the organisation weak ( looks like a design for this purpose)…. it is up to american congress to rectify the wrong doings to its own postal service which does not use tax dollars!
no other country will attack it owns post…because that is a infrastructure…but it needs updating
Well thats about 58 pieces of legislation introduced to revamp the PO. Only 398 more to come! That will be every member of congress putting in their 2 cents!
Can’t anything get done in Washington? I know one thing, Election time is right around the corner and all you so called representatives of the people will be up for re-election.
I say vote them all out and lets start with a fresh batch!!!
I agree with Sen Waters bill proposal. Its time up for continuing making bill proposals, its time to sitt down agree on a proposal, tweak it if you must and then pass it! Can’t you congressmen and senators do anything right and in a timely manner! President Obama need to take more cotnrol and get you people moving! Hundreds of thousands of american jobs depends on you. Also the american citizenss want their mail service to continue!