WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES FEBRUARY 24, 2022 13
USPS needs our help — and the Senate must deliver
BY U.S. REP. CAROLYN MALONEY
The United States Postal Service
is one of our most prized
national institutions, but it has
faced financial trouble for many
years.
The pandemic that engulfed our
nation two years ago exacerbated
these challenges 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.”
The 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.
The Postal Service has tens of
billions of dollars in debts and is
projected to run a $160 billion deficit
over the next 10 years if Congress
doesn’t act. A significant reason is
the outdated laws under which it
must operate.
That is why we introduced the bipartisan
Postal Service Reform Act.
Let’s be clear: This is a bill to save
the Postal Service. It will do that by
removing the legislative relic that
the Postal Service prefund retiree
health benefits. This 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
benefits 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.
The bill will also require the
Postal Service to create a public,
OP-ED
online dashboard where it would
post weekly updates on service performance.
This will vastly improve
transparency and give us the ability
to spot problems or glitches as they
arise. This information will help
Congress and the public hold Postal
Service leadership accountable
when mail is not being delivered
on time. This transparency will
also enhance the American public’s
trust and confidence 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. This
bill is not only a win for the Postal
Service and its customers, it’s a win
for the American taxpayer as well.
The U.S. House of Representatives
did its job and delivered for the
American people by delivering for
the Postal Service. The 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. There is no reason
that this critical bipartisan reform
should not pass the Senate and go
to the president’s desk as soon as
possible.
The 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.
SNAPS
FASHION IN FOREST HILLS
PHOTO BY JOE ABATE
Send us your photos of Queens
and you could see them online or in our paper!
To submit them to us, tag @qnsgram on Instagram,
visit our Facebook page, tweet @QNS
or email editorial@qns.com (subject: Queens Snaps).
link
/WWW.QNS.COM
link
