Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and Mark Udall joined a bipartisan group of 41 senators to urge the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to extend its current moratorium on post office closures until after a postal reform bill is enacted into law. The current moratorium is scheduled to end on May 15th.
“While the USPS faces significant financial challenges, we believe that post offices provide social and economic benefits, particularly to rural communities,” the senators wrote in the letter. “We are deeply concerned that the closing of these postal facilities prior to postal reform legislation being enacted would be devastating to communities around the country. This moratorium will provide the time needed to enact the reform in the 21st Century Postal Service Act.”
In April, the Senate passed the 21st Century Postal Service Act to put the USPS back on the road to financial stability, while providing protections for rural post offices and maintaining service standards. Before USPS moves forward with planned closures and consolidations across the county, the senators are urging the Postal Service to allow Congress to complete work on postal reforms.
If USPS extends its moratorium until reform is enacted into law, the Senate-passed bill would require USPS to consider certain factors before closing post offices, including the age of individuals in the area, transportation challenges and access to the Internet.
Click here for a copy of the letter to Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe.