APWU Web News Article 063-2013, May 20 , 2013
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Since the beginning of May, 18 more U.S. representatives and five more senators have become co-sponsors of the Postal Service Protection Act (H.R. 630/S.316/, a bill that would help solve the USPS financial crisis without hurting workers or downgrading mail service.
In the House, the legislation has gained has 146 co-sponsors since it was introduced by Rep. Peter DeFazio (OR-4) on Feb. 13.
On the other side of the Capitol, Sens. Ben Cardin (MD), Bob Casey (PA), Barbara Mikulski (MD), Jeanne Shaheen (NH) and Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) have signed on, joining the 20 senators who had co-sponsored the legislation by late April. That Senate version of the bill was introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT) also on Feb. 13.
The latest representatives to declare their support for the measure are:
| Corrine Brown (FL-5) | Tom Marino (PA-10) |
| Kathy Castor (FL-14) | Beto O’Rourke (TX-16) |
| Mike Doyle (PA-14) | Pierluisi Pedro (PR) |
| Chris Gibson (NY-19) | Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-2) |
| Alan Grayson (FL-9) | Brad Schneider (IL-10) |
| “Hank” Johnson Jr. (GA-4) | Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-9) |
| Dan Kildee (MI-5) | Eric Swalwell (CA-15) |
| Jim Langevin (RI-2) | Juan Vargas (CA-51) |
| John Larson (CT-1) | Nydia Velazquez (NY-7) |
“The Postal Service Protection Act would provide desperately needed financial relief for the USPS and make many of the planned cutbacks in service unnecessary,” said APWU President Cliff Guffey. “Passing this much-needed legislation soon would protect postal jobs and give the American people a Postal Service they can count on for the future,” he added.
APWU Legislative and Political Director Gary Kloepfer called on union members to continue reaching out to lawmakers who have not yet signaled their support for the legislation.
“While we are grateful to all the senators and representatives who are backing the bill,” Kloepfer said, “APWU members must make it clear to more lawmakers — and the public —that widespread plant closings will delay the mail in communities across the country.”
“Congress must act as soon as possible to pass postal reform legislation that will improve service, protect postal workers, and strengthen the Postal Service in the digital age,” he added.
The Postal Service Protection Act would:
- Fix the Postal Service’s immediate financial crisis by ending the mandate that requires the USPS to pre-fund healthcare benefits for future retirees — a burden no other government agency or private company bears;
- Allow the Postal Service to recover overpayments the USPS made to federal pension plans;
- Re-establish overnight delivery standards for first-class mail, which would ensure the timely delivery of mail, help keep mail processing facilities open, and protect jobs;
- Protect six-day delivery;
- Allow the USPS to develop new products and services that would generate new sources of revenue, and
- Protect post offices by giving the Postal Regulatory Commission binding authority to prevent post offices from being closed based on the effect on the community and the effect on the employees.