WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today introduced a bipartisan resolution that would make clear Congress’ opposition to privatizing the United States Postal Service (USPS). McCaskill’s effort was joined by 27 of her colleagues after a recent Administration proposal included postal privatization.
“Local post offices are the backbones of our rural communities—even more so now as small businesses rely on the Postal Service for the ability to participate in online business,” McCaskill said. “The incentives simply aren’t there for private companies to take mail that last mile for people living in rural communities, and I’m going to fight tooth and nail to ensure that every Missourian—whether in a small town or big city—has access to the critical services the Postal Service provides.”
McCaskill serves as the top Democrat on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which has jurisdiction over USPS. At a recent Committee hearing, she highlighted the negative impact of postal privatization on rural communities.
Joined by a bipartisan group of colleagues, McCaskill notes in her resolution that “the United States Postal Service serves the needs of 157,000,000 business and residential customers not less than 6 days a week, maintains an affordable and universal network, and connects the rural, suburban, and urban communities of the United States” and “the privatization of the United States Postal Service would result in higher prices and reduced services for the customers of the United States Postal Service, especially in rural communities.”
McCaskill has long worked to improve postal service and hold USPS accountable, particularly for Missourians in rural communities. Earlier this year, she sent a letter to the Administration’s Postal Task Force, urging it to prioritize reliable access in rural communities and improved delivery times. McCaskill has been fighting to fix a bizarre quirk in which some Missouri residents have Iowa and Arkansas mailing addresses, causing unnecessary problems for the affected Missourians. She called for postal reforms after a Postal Service Inspector General report found that mismanagement led to up to two billion pieces of delayed mail.
McCaskill has also called for answers from the Postmaster General following reports from Missouri postal managers that their staffing needs have been disregarded. She joined a bipartisan group of Senators to introduce a comprehensive postal reform bill that will put the Postal Service on firm financial footing, improve performance in rural communities, and allow for the development of new products and services. McCaskill is widely credited with having waged a successful campaign over several years to save rural post offices in Missouri and maintain delivery standards.
Read the full text of McCaskill’s resolution HERE.
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