PRESS RELEASE

More than 100 Members of Congress sign letter in support of 6 Day Mail, Rural Post Offices, Innovation

Washington, D.C. –Virginia Congressman Gerry Connolly was joined by more than 100 members of Congress in calling on Speaker John Boehner and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to maintain robust mail service, including 6 day delivery and rural post offices, and develop a transformational 21ST Century business model for the USPS. Republican Don Young of Alaska joined Connolly in circulating the letter.

“Legislation proposed in Congress, specifically H.R. 2309, presents a false choice to the American public,” said Connolly. “Giving up six day mail service, closing rural post offices, and ending next day mail service will forfeit USPS’ competitive advantage, and would accelerate the decline of the Postal Service.”

“Rather than pass legislation which dismantles the Postal Service, Congress must be a partner in building a postal business model for the 21ST Century,” said Connolly. “By allowing the Postal Service to innovate and relieving the retirement prefunding obligation imposed by Congress in 2006 we can protect the infrastructure of a $1 trillion mailing industry while maintaining universal service for all Americans—rural, suburban, and urban.”

Connolly and Young’s letter suggests alternatives to legislative proposals that cut mail delivery from six days to five, eliminate 3,600 or more rural post offices, end next day mail service, and stop 90% of door-to-door mail delivery. The letter highlights the devastating effects H.R. 2309 would have on the Postal Service, including lost revenue and cuts in service. Connolly and Young suggest there are alternatives, such as restructuring the $5.5 billion annual Retirement Health Benefit prefunding requirement, refunding USPS overpayments into FERS, and permitting USPS to adopt new business practices that would allow USPS to forgo these drastic cuts in service. In contrast to HR 2309, bipartisan Senate legislation reschedules retirement health benefits payments to protect USPS solvency and allows the Postal Service to innovate and earn new revenue.

Connolly and Young look forward to working with congressional leaders to build a Postal Service business model for the future which closes the current gap in funding while continuing robust mail service to all areas of the nation.

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SAVE THE POST OFFICE :

EXTEND MORATORIUM ON THE CLOSING OF POST OFFICES --

The Postal Service has targeted 4,500 post offices for closure and 230 processing plants for consolidation. The Postmaster General says he plans to close half of the country's 32,000 post offices over the next few years.

The closings and consolidations won't save the Postal Service — they'll destroy it. Tell Congress and the President to extend the moratorium on closings beyond May 15, while the country has a more thoughtful discussion about the future of the Postal Service.

Petitioning to ::--

• The President of the United States
• The U.S. Senate
• The U.S. House of Representatives
• Postmaster General, USPS (Patrick R. Donahoe)
• Spokesperson, USPS (Gerald J. McKiernan)

Declare a Moratorium on Post Office Closings

Greetings,

I am writing to ask for your support in declaring a moratorium on closing post offices.

The Postal Service is closing thousands of small rural post offices, and it's reviewing half of the country's 32,000 post offices for closure.

The post office is an American institution. Many communities faced with losing their post office have had one for over 150 years, yet they’re given just 60 days to respond. When communities protest at public meetings, representatives of the Postal Service don’t seem to listen. It’s as if the decision has already been made—and it probably has been.

We need a much more thoughtful national discussion about the meaning of universal service and the financial issues facing the Postal Service. And while we’re having that conversation, the Postal Service should stop closing post offices and stop studying post offices for closure.

[Your name]