DeLauro Leads Bipartisan Effort to Delay Postal Processing Facility Closures

Asks Postmaster General to Stand by OriginalCommitment

WASHINGTON, DC—Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) today askedPostmaster General Patrick Donahoe to stand by his original commitment and keeppostal processing facilities open until next spring. In late March, the PostalService unilaterally decided to accelerate closure of about 50 mail processingfacilities ahead of schedule.

Forty-six other members of congress joined DeLauro indetailing the harm Donahoe's decision will have on their local economies.DeLauro advocates a comprehensive approach to postal reform that ensures thePostal Service can stay financially solvent for many years to come.

"We urge you to recognize the disastrous impact that theelimination of overnight delivery standards and closings of Area MailProcessing Centers and other facilities across the country would have on localand national unemployment," the bipartisan group of members wrote. "The USPS isa major employer around the country and employs over 500,000 workers. With anunacceptably high unemployment rate, it would be particularly inopportune forthe USPS to close facilities."

The full letter is as follows:

Patrick R. Donahoe

Postmaster General

United States Postal Service

475 L'Enfant Plaza SW

Washington, DC 20260

Dear Postmaster General Donahoe,

We write to urge you to maintain operations at all mailprocessing facilities as originally reported to allow Congress to take actionon postal reform legislation. We believe it would be imprudent of the UnitedStates Postal Service (USPS) to close or eliminate processing of mail, at anyfacility, ahead of schedule as installations were committed to remain intactuntil spring 2014.

We understand that the USPS cannot sustain itself under itscurrent system, and we agree it is up to Congress to act. However, management'sunilateral decision to advance the closing of mail processing centers aroundthe nation would severely limit Congress' ability to take action.

In addition, we urge you to recognize the disastrous impactthat the elimination of overnight delivery standards and closings of Area MailProcessing Centers and other facilities across the country would have on localand national unemployment. The USPS is a major employer around the country andemploys over 500,000 workers. With an unacceptably high unemployment rate, itwould be particularly inopportune for the USPS to close facilities.

Again, we urge you to follow through on your original timeframe to allow Congress time to develop comprehensive postal reform legislationthat would take meaningful steps to create a financially sound future for theUSPS, while leaving intact the important services Americans rely on and expect. It is critically important the postal service not preempt Congressionalaction by unilaterally moving forward with elimination of overnight delivery,allowing for major shutdowns across the country of mail processing facilities.

Thank you for your consideration of this criticalissue. We look forward to continuing our work to create a more stablefiscal future for the USPS while also upholding this essential service for ourcommunities, states, and the country.

Sincerely,

Rosa L.DeLauro

James P.McGovern

Raúl M.Grijalva

Janice Hahn

PeterDeFazio

Bobby L.Rush

BrianHiggins

Albio Sires

MoBrooks

ElizabethEsty

TimRyan

Jim Himes

G.K.Butterfield

Allyson Y.Schwartz

Sanford D. Bishop,Jr.

Ron Barber

Edward J.Markey

Alcee L.Hastings

EarlBlumenauer

Adam B. Schiff

Robert C. "Bobby"Scott

Donald Payne,Jr.

BarbaraLee

William Keating

Loretta Sanchez

SamFarr

Carolyn B.Maloney

Terri Sewell

HankJohnson

Bill Pascrell,Jr.

MaxineWaters

Betty McCollum

TonyCárdenas

JuanVargas

JaredHuffman

Steve Cohen

DonnaEdwards

MarcVeasey

Michael H.Michaud

Niki Tsongas

JudyChu

Yvette D.Clarke

JanSchakowsky

Peter Welch

GaryPeters

Pete P. Gallego

Keith Ellison