Graves Votes to Preserve U.S. Postal Service
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06) released the following statement after joining a bipartisan coalition of House members to pass the much-needed Postal Service Reform Act.
“The United States Postal Service is a critical lifeline for rural Missouri. It’s been serving Americans since this country was founded and it’s one of the only federal agencies that has its roots in our Constitution. The Postal Service Reform Act will help put the USPS back on solid ground to continue delivering for Americans for generations to come. I’m proud to support this legislation and grateful for all the dedicated employees at the USPS—particularly our rural letter carriers—who show up every day and brave all sorts of conditions to make sure the mail gets delivered.”
Congressman Graves is a cosponsor of the Postal Service Reform Act. He has long supported efforts to eliminate costly prefunding mandates that have long hamstrung the United States Postal Service (USPS). Last year, he introduced House Resolution 114 with Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) expressing the House’s support for the preservation of 6-day mail delivery service.
The Postal Service Reform Act:
- Eliminates the requirement for USPS to prefund retiree health benefits
- Preserves 6-day mail delivery
- Expands special rates for local newspaper distribution
- Streamlines package delivery operations to ensure reliable and cost-effective service
Without reform, the USPS is on track to lose $160 billion over the next 10 years and run out of cash by 2024. Despite delivering to 161 million addresses every day, a number which grows by a million addresses each year, First Class Mail volume has fallen by more than 50 percent since 2001. The Postal Service Reform Act will help bring the USPS into the 21st Century and preserve critical mail service for those that rely on it, particularly older generations and rural America.
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