WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today introduced a bipartisan resolution that would make clear Congress’ opposition to privatizing the United States Postal Service (USPS). McCaskill’s effort was joined by 27 of her colleagues after a recent Administration proposal included postal privatization.
“Local post offices are the backbones of our rural communities—even more so now as small businesses rely on the Postal Service for the ability to participate in online business,” McCaskill said.“The incentives simply aren’t there for private companies to take mail that last mile for people living in rural communities, and I’m going to fight tooth and nail to ensure that every Missourian—whether in a small town or big city—has access to the critical services the Postal Service provides.”
McCaskill serves as the top Democrat on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which has jurisdiction over USPS. At a recent Committee hearing, she highlighted the negative impact of postal privatization on rural communities.
Joined by a bipartisan group of colleagues, McCaskill notes in her resolution that “the United States Postal Service serves the needs of 157,000,000 business and residential customers not less than 6 days a week, maintains an affordable and universal network, and connects the rural, suburban, and urban communities of the United States” and “the privatization of the United States Postal Service would result in higher prices and reduced services for the customers of the United States Postal Service, especially in rural communities.”
McCaskill has long worked to improve postal service and hold USPS accountable, particularly for Missourians in rural communities. Earlier this year, she sent a letter to the Administration’s Postal Task Force, urging it to prioritize reliable access in rural communities and improved delivery times. McCaskill has been fighting to fix a bizarre quirk in which some Missouri residents have Iowa and Arkansas mailing addresses, causing unnecessary problems for the affected Missourians. She called for postal reforms after a Postal Service Inspector General report found that mismanagement led to up to two billion pieces of delayed mail.
McCaskill has also called for answers from the Postmaster General following reports from Missouri postal managers that their staffing needs have been disregarded. She joined a bipartisan group of Senators to introduce a comprehensive postal reform bill that will put the Postal Service on firm financial footing, improve performance in rural communities, and allow for the development of new products and services. McCaskill is widely credited with having waged a successful campaign over several years to save rural post offices in Missouri and maintain delivery standards.
Read the full text of McCaskill’s resolution HERE.
Whereas the privatization of the United States Postal Service would—
(1) result in higher prices and reduced services for the customers of the United States Postal Service, especially in rural communities;
(2) jeopardize the booming e-commerce sector; and
(3) cripple a major part of the critical infrastructure of the United States: Now, therefore, be itResolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that Congress should take all appropriate measures to ensure that the United States Postal Service remains an independent 4 establishment of the Federal Government and is not subject to privatization in whole or in part
Senator McCaskill Stands up for Rural Postal Service in Face of Privatization Proposals
Senator McCaskill: If USPS is privatized Rural America will pay a very heavy price
only a fool would believe privatization will save the postal Service. The U.S. Postal Service is the most popular government agency in the country, with a favorability rating of nearly 90 percent. But now, President Trump is apparently bent on destroying it. Nearly all the agency’s losses over the past decade are attributable to a 2006 law requiring it to pre-fund retiree health benefits for 75 years, an onerous mandate that doesn’t apply to any other agency. As the Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General explained in 2015, the pre-funding requirement essentially amounts to a credit card company saying, “You will charge a million dollars on your credit card during your life; please include the million dollars in your next payment.”
If President Wonderful privatizes the Postal service the employees would face pay cuts, worse working conditions, and the annuitant’s retirement and health care would be cut! Our “great” leader wants to use Royal Mail as an example. Royal Mail cut twice the retirement compensation, raised the cost of First class, and paid out a big cash sum for the last president to quit. The new Royal Mail president lives in Zurich, Switzerland. Royal Mail hauls his carcass back and forth from London and Zurich on a corporate jet for meetings. Only the best for the big time operators, while poverty for the servants! The good old Ratpublicans never lead by example. The Chicago Tribune had a great story. Turns out a very high Ratpublican’s family owns the Kiel Brothers oil co. The oil co . filed for bankruptcy so now the tax payer must pay $27 million to clean up the contamination. Seems to me the owners of the failed oil co. should pay. However they won’t, why should they when the sucker tax payer will bail them out.
We actually do make money if not for the ridiculous retiree prefunding boondoggle.
If was private we would actually… make money
Are USPS going to reopen the Vichy,Mo. 65580 Post Office in Maries County? Recently closed!
if USPS is privatized corporate greed kicks in and shipping prices will be 10 times higher. Who will deliver you mail, no one!