Dear Congressman
As a rural letter carrier, I write to you with grave concern regarding a recent Washington Post article reporting the Administration is planning on issuing an Executive Order to dismantle the United States Postal Service (USPS). The Executive Order calls for the Department of Commerce to absorb the USPS and fire the bipartisan Board of Governors. Issuing this Executive Order would be a path towards privatization, something that threatens the very lifeline that millions of Americans, especially those in rural and remote areas, depend on every day to receive critical deliveries including prescription drugs, checks, online purchases, and election ballots. I ask that you stop the Administration from letting this happen and urge them to abandon any plans they have to privatize this American institution.
The Postal Service is a public good that all Americans rely on and continues to rank as one of the most respected and beloved government agencies and it should remain apolitical. The Postal Service does not belong to the President, but it belongs to the people who utilize the Postal Service and whose livelihoods depend on it.
Rural letter carriers deliver to 47.8 million delivery points for a total of 3.9 million miles per day. We deliver the “last mile” in rural areas where it is not profitable for other delivery services to deliver. The mandate of the USPS is clear; to deliver efficient, reliable, and universal service to all Americans no matter where they live. Under this Executive Order or other privatization efforts, rural areas would be left out, facing surcharges, and reduced service and delivery.
The Postal Service plays a vital role in the nation’s economy. The Postal Service and the mailing industry account for approximately 7.9 million jobs and $1.9 trillion in revenue. USPS is one of the largest civilian federal workforces in the United States and the largest civilian employer of veterans.
We urge members of the House of Representatives to co-sponsor H. Res. 70, a bipartisan House resolution expressing the sense of the House that the Postal Service should remain an independent agency.
As a member of Congress, I urge you to strongly oppose any Executive Order that seeks to privatize the USPS or attempts to merge it with the Department of Commerce. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,