Washington, D.C. — Today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet urged U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to bring the bipartisan Postal Service Reform Act to the U.S. Senate floor as soon as possible to address challenges facing the United States Postal Service (USPS) in Colorado and across the country. The U.S. House of Representatives passed this legislation on Tuesday night with a bipartisan vote of 342 to 92.
“For more than a year, my office has heard increasing frustration and significant concerns about USPS delivery and facilities in rural and mountain communities in Colorado,” wrote Bennet. “We have heard about inconsistent and unreliable delivery service; the need for larger facilities to manage increased customer and parcel traffic; understaffed facilities resulting in reduced post office hours or sporadic closures, and a shortage of parcel lockers. All of these issues result in poor, late, or non-delivery of essential mail for Coloradans in these communities.”
In the letter, Bennet emphasizes that Coloradans, particularly those in rural communities, depend on reliable and effective postal service for everything from medical prescriptions to bills to mail-in voting, especially during the current public health crisis. But the pandemic has only exacerbated already existing service challenges facing the USPS.
The Postal Service Reform Act will improve the USPS’s financial stability, strengthen transparency and accountability, and codify a 6-day-a-week delivery standard. Bennet is calling on Senate leadership to bring this critical legislation to the floor immediately to support Colorado communities.
The full text of the letter is available HERE and below.
Dear Majority Leader Schumer;
I write to urge you to take up the Postal Service Reform Act (H.R. 3076) immediately. Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed this legislation to improve the U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) financial stability, strengthen transparency and accountability, and codify a 6-day-a-week delivery standard. Although the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic exacerbated existing strains on USPS, it also highlighted the critical value of postal services to Coloradans and the American people.
As you know, this bill was developed in a bipartisan process to help USPS continue, and eventually improve, postal services across the country. Improved financial stability would allow USPS to make significant savings over the next 10 years. Further, the additional transparency components would provide public confidence in USPS service and promote compliance with on-time mail delivery. Ultimately, this bill is a first step toward allowing USPS to develop and execute plans for strategic investments and facility upgrades throughout the country.
For more than a year, my office has heard increasing frustration and significant concerns about USPS delivery and facilities in rural and mountain communities in Colorado. We have heard about inconsistent and unreliable delivery service; the need for larger facilities to manage increased customer and parcel traffic; understaffed facilities resulting in reduced post office hours or sporadic closures, and a shortage of parcel lockers. All of these issues result in poor, late, or non-delivery of essential mail for Coloradans in these communities.
Coloradans depend on reliable and effective postal services for mail order medical prescriptions; federal assistance documents; bills; and to mail electoral ballots. Working to address these challenges facing USPS is vital to ensure that Coloradans and Americans can continue to recover from COVID-19, and preserve access to delivery and mail services.
Sincerely,