February 13, 2013
American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO Legislative Fact Sheet:
The Postal Service Protection Act, S. 316 & H.R. 630
On February 13, 2013, S. 316 was introduced in the U.S. Senateby Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT),and in the House of Representatives H.R. 630 was introduced by Rep. Pete DeFazio (D-OR). The Postal Service Protection Act, as embodied by the bills, is intended to address key issues that adequate postal legislation cannot do without.
If enacted, the Postal Service Protection Act would grant USPS immediate legislative relief from its current financial crisis by:
- Ending the aggressive and unsustainable pre-funding mandate that requires the agency to make 75 years of retiree healthcare benefit payments over a 10 year period – a burden no other government agency or private company is forced to bear.
- Allowing the Postal Service to recover over-payments made to the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Fed eral Employee Retirement System (FERS).
- Re-establishing overnight delivery standards for first-class mail, which would ensure timely delivery schedules and help keep mail processing facilities open.
- Protecting six-day delivery.
- Permitting USPS to develop innovative products and services that would generate new sources of revenue, such as issuing licenses, ending the prohibition on beer and wine shipments and providing notary services.
- Ensuring security for rural post offices by giving the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) binding authority to prevent post offices from being closed based on the effect such closures would have on the community and employees.
Representatives and Senators are urged to support the Postal Service Protection Act which seeks to alleviate USPS from the massive pre- funding mandate which is driving the agency into insolvency; stop cuts to service and closures, and restore the Postal Service’s ability to remain a viable and competitive institution.
» CLICK HERE to view/download the Postal Service Protection Act Fact Sheet
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