A Message from Senator Charles E. Schumer

Dear Mr. Roma:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the 21st Century Postal Service Act (S. 1789). I agree that the Postal Service is a vital part of our democracy and that the U.S. Congress needs to do what it can to preserve the institution.

As you know, I opposed the original Postal Service plan to slash over 3,600 post offices and more than half of the mail processing plants in New York and around the country. I also strongly opposed the Postal Service’s plan to slow down mail by ending overnight delivery for first class mail. I’ve been working hard with my colleagues in the Senate to ensure that these draconian cuts were not implemented and to significantly improve S. 1789, and I believe the bill that passed on April 24, 2012 is a step toward preserving this important institution.

The Senate bill as amended would prevent rural post offices from being closed in areas that do not have access to broadband Internet; if seniors and other citizens would not receive substantially similar access to prescription drugs and other timely mail services; and if businesses would suffer significant financial losses as a result of the closure. Furthermore, the Senate bill would prevent the Postal Service from closing any post offices until it has established a set of service standards that would guarantee all postal customers regular and effective access to retail postal services.

Additionally, the Senate bill as amended requires the Postal Service to maintain a modified overnight delivery standard for first class mail and periodicals for a period of three years. Specifically, this bill requires the Postal Service to provide overnight delivery for mail that is both mailed and delivered in an area served by the same processing plant. As a result of this provision, if the Senate bill becomes law, more than 100 mail processing plants in the country currently on the list for closure would remain open.

Furthermore, the Senate bill bans the Postal Service from ending six day delivery for two years. After the two year ban is over, the Senate bill will only allow Saturday delivery to be eliminated if the Postal Service and Postal Regulatory Commission that ending six-day delivery is the only way for the Postal Service to achieve long-term sustainability.

Lastly, the Senate bill would establish a blue ribbon entrepreneurial commission to make recommendations on additional postal and non-postal services that the Postal Service could provide to achieve long-term fiscal sustainability. Innovative thinking is absolutely vital in order for the Postal Service to thrive in the twenty-first century.

Again, thank you for contacting me to about this important issue. Please feel free to contact me again if I can be of any further assistance on this or any other matter.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Schumer
United States Senator

Please do not respond to this email. To send another message please visit my website at https://schumer.senate.gov/Contact/contact_chuck.cfm . Thank you.