Postal panel backs overhaul bill

CongressDaily October 13, 2005

The Postal Rate Commission sent a letter Wednesday to House Government Reform Chairman Davis and Rep. John McHugh, R-N.Y., supporting legislation championed by both lawmakers to revamp the Postal Service, countering criticism of the bill by the agency's Board of Governors.

Although the McHugh bill has passed the House 410-20 and a version has been approved overwhelmingly by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the Board of Governors said in a letter last month to the lawmakers that the legislation would undermine some of its governing authority and could hinder agency operations.

But the Rate Commission said that "such fears are totally unfounded. The legislation does not require the Postal Service to obtain permission to modernize its network, as the Governors suggest. There is nothing in the language or legislative history of these bills that supports suggestions that the PRC should or would interfere in the day-to-day management of the Postal Service."

The Postal Rate Commission's letter was also sent to Government Reform ranking member Henry Waxman, D-Calif., and Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill., who helped draft the measure.

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  • rds - you're more than a little misinformed. The U.S. Postal Service isn't a “waste of the American dollar,” because it does not receive taxpayer dollars. It is self supporting. And you clearly have no sense for the size, scale, and ability of the USPS to deliver mail to every address in the country six days a week. I'm sure this statistic is now outdated, but I once heard USPS delivers more pieces of mail in one day than FedEx does in a year. You really think FedEx and UPS are up to that challenge ... and all for 37 cents a letter? I'm sure there are a bunch of USPS folks reading that can back me up here with about a dozen other reasons. GovExec.com reader Posted October 19, 2005 11:04 PM
  • The Post Office is a waste of the American dollar. We should get rid of it and go with the private sector. Let’s use the FedEx and UPS folks-- they do it better and cheaper. The country would save billions of dollars if we used private industry to move the mail. rds Posted October 14, 2005 11:20 AM
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