The Senate is poised to take up a bipartisan measure that would overhaul the cash-strapped Postal Service’s operations next week.
Next up: postal reform.
Having dispatched with a small business measure and congressional insider trading bill, the Senate is poised to take up a bipartisan measure that would overhaul the cash-strapped Postal Service’s operations next week.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who has called the postal legislation a priority in recent weeks, said Thursday there could be a procedural vote as early as Monday on the bill from Lieberman, Susan Collins (R-Maine), Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Scott Brown (R-Mass.).
Carper said Thursday that he welcomed Reid’s decision to move the bill to the floor, and said that Congress had to move fast to help an agency that has lost billions of dollars in recent years.
“This bill – the only bipartisan proposal from Members in either Chamber – presents a comprehensive solution to the Postal Service’s financial challenges,” the Delaware Democrat said in a statement. “While the situation facing the Postal Service is dire, it is not hopeless. That is why we need to pass this bipartisan and comprehensive bill as soon as possible.”
The bill from the four senators, all members of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, cleared the panel in November.
The lawmakers had hoped their bill would have progressed more quickly this year, but the measure has found resistance from, among other places, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and other members of the Democratic caucus.
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One Response
How about abolishing the postal service, ending home delivery, and letting people use email for official mail. At most it would require an official list of email addresses. If a merchant wants to send junk mail, let them hire a private company for the purpose.
Does the government subsdize the pony express anymore? What about clipper ships to get mail from New York to San Francisco (LA wasn’t much of anything back then)? What about smoke signals?