FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM FEBRUARY 24, 2022 • THE QUEENS COURIER 23
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USPS needs our help — and the Senate must deliver
BY U.S. REP. CAROLYN MALONEY
Th e United States Postal Service is one
of our most prized national institutions,
but it has faced fi nancial trouble for many
years.
Th e pandemic that engulfed our nation
two years ago exacerbated these challenges
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as the Postal Service was stressed
to its operational limits and millions of
Americans in every corner of the country
found that they needed the Postal Service
like never before.
Across the country — in cities, suburbs
and rural areas — Americans have relied
on the Postal Service more than ever to
deliver lifesaving medicine, masks and
test kits.
As the motto goes, “Neither snow nor
rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays
these couriers from the swift completion
of their appointed rounds.”
Th e coronavirus does not stop the
Postal Service either.
In fact, the Postal Service answered the
call despite the very real risks to its personnel
and a lack of adequate resources.
When America needed it most, the Postal
Service was there for America. And right
now, the Postal Service needs some help
from us.
While there is much that divides us,
there are issues on which Democrats and
Republicans can and do work together.
Protecting and strengthening the Postal
Service so it can serve all Americans —
regardless of ZIP code — is one of these
issues.
Th e Postal Service has tens of billions of
dollars in debts and is projected to run a
$160 billion defi cit over the next 10 years
if Congress doesn’t act. A signifi cant reason
is the outdated laws under which it
must operate.
Th at is why we introduced the bipartisan
Postal Service Reform Act.
Let’s be clear: Th is is a bill to save the
Postal Service. It will do that by removing
the legislative relic that the Postal Service
prefund retiree health benefi ts. Th is might
have worked when First Class Mail left
the Postal Service with plenty of cash but
does not today — and it has not worked
for over a decade. Coupled with a provision
directing postal retirees to utilize
the Medicare benefi ts they have already
earned, something retirees from all other
American businesses do, this bill will
reduce the Postal Service’s obligations by
$50 billion over the next ten years.
Th e bill will also require the Postal
Service to create a public, online dashboard
where it would post weekly updates
on service performance. Th is will vastly
improve transparency and give us the
ability to spot problems or glitches as they
arise. Th is information will help Congress
and the public hold Postal Service leadership
accountable when mail is not being
delivered on time. Th is transparency will
also enhance the American public’s trust
and confi dence in the Postal Service,
which has been shaken in recent years.
According to the nonpartisan
Congressional Budget Offi ce, the bill will
help the Postal Service’s fi nances while at
the same time decreasing federal spending
by $1.5 billion. Th is bill is not only a
win for the Postal Service and its customers,
it’s a win for the American taxpayer
as well.
Th e U.S. House of Representatives did its
job and delivered for the American people
by delivering for the Postal Service. Th e
House passed the Postal Service Reform
Act with a bipartisan vote of 342-92. Now
it’s the Senate’s turn.
Our colleagues in the Senate, Chairman
Gary Peters and Ranking Member Rob
Portman, introduced an identical bipartisan
bill that now has 14 Republicans
and 14 Democrats as cosponsors. Th ere
is no reason that this critical bipartisan
reform should not pass the Senate
and go to the president’s desk as soon
as possible.
Th e Postal Service is a key part of
our country’s history — and our future.
Members of Congress from across the
country and the political spectrum support
this legislation. We call on the Senate
to pass this bill as soon as possible so the
Postal Service can continue to serve the
American people.
U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney represents
New York’s 12th Congressional District covering
Manhattan’s East Side and parts of
Queens and Brooklyn.
A BRAVE FIREFIGHTER LOST
It was most sad to read that another brave
fi refi ghter has died. On Th ursday morning,
Feb. 17, New York City Mayor Eric Adams
and Acting Fire Commissioner Laura
Kavanagh announced the death of fi refi ghter
Jesse Gerhard, 33, a seven-year veteran of
the FDNY. Jesse appeared to have died of a
heart attack while on duty in his fi rehouse,
Ladder Company 134 in Far Rockaway,
Queens. Th e previous day he was fi ghting
a fi re in Far Rockaway. Here was a dedicated
and brave fi refi ghter who lived out
his dream. To be a fi refi ghter, one has to
remember this is a most demanding and
dangerous job and takes very special men
and women. Th ese brave men and women
do what they do in trying to save lives and
property. As Grand Knight of St. Anastasia
Knight’s Columbus in Douglaston, I would
like to off er my heartfelt prayers to the family
and fellow fi refi ghters of Jesse Gerhard.
Let me point out that many of our members
are police offi cers and fi refi ghters. Now
as such I feel greatly saddened that our city
has lost another brave fi ghter. Th is now
brings the number of FDNY fi refi ghters
who have died in the line of duty to 1,156.
Frederick R. Bedell Jr., Bellerose
MORE IMPROVEMENTS
NECESSARY
Th ere are more improvements necessary
besides state Assembly member Emily
Gallagher’s request for increasing the length
of G line trains from four to eight cars.
Decades ago, G line service ran with
eight cars. It was built as part of the municipal
Independent Subway (IND) system
constructed in the 1930s. Why doesn’t
NYC Transit start by reassigning several
dozen subway cars out of the 6,418 fl eet to
increase service by running six versus the
current four car trains?
Completion of Communication Based
Train Control on both the Queens Blvd. E,
F, M and R line along with F line Brooklyn
routes will support increased capacity.
Current G line service terminating at Court
Square could be extended to Forest Hills,
Continental Avenue. Th is would restore a
connection that was terminated in April
2010.
In Brooklyn, the G line could be extended
beyond Church Avenue to Coney Island
Stillwell Avenue Terminal. Th is would provide
connections to the B, D, N and Q lines.
Extending the route in Queens and
Brooklyn and operating eight car trains is
possible upon completion of both signal
projects and reassignment or purchase of
additional equipment already underway.
Another overlooked improvement is better
utilization of the G line Fulton Street
station. It is located several blocks from the
Atlantic Avenue/Barclay Center LIRR/NYC
Transit subway station complex. A simple
underground passageway could be constructed.
Imagine how many riders would
be attracted by a direct indoor connection
to the G line from the 2, 3, 4 and 5 IRT, B,
D, N, Q and R BMT subway lines along
with the Atlantic branch LIRR. Th is might
take several years to complete.
Th e cost for new underground subway
passage connections, purchase of additional
subway cars and modifi cations to
increase capacity for storage and maintenance
of equipment at a rail yard are necessary
to increase service on the G line.
Th ese are all worthy investments for MTA
to consider.
Larry Penner, Great Neck
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