UPDATE, April 26: The bill passed, with "$11 billion to offer buyouts and early retirement incentives to hundreds
of thousands of postal workers and to pay off its debts," Ed O'Keefe reports for The Washington Post's Ed O'Keefe reports. "The measure also would permit the end of Saturday mail deliveries in two
years and only after USPS determines it is financially necessary." A rival bill by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., would let the postal service "quickly close unprofitable post offices and
processing centers," O'Keefe notes. Issa’s measure would allow Saturday mail delivery to end. The National Newspaper Association supports the Senate bill; USPS grumbled about it.
The Senate voted tonight to prohibit the U.S. Postal Service from closing rural post offices for a year unless no one from the community objects. The measure, an amendment to an omnibus bill designed to shore up the debt-burdened service, would affect post offices outside metropolitan areas.
"After one year, the mail agency would have to take rural issues into special consideration, including economic impact, the quality of Internet broadband service and location, " The Associated Press reports. "Post offices would generally be shielded from closing if the next closest mail facility was more than 10 miles away."
The amendment, approved on a voice vote, was sponsored by Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., who said, “Protecting our rural post offices is about more than just maintaining brick and mortar — our post offices are the lifeblood for towns across our state and a source of good-paying jobs in areas hard-hit by the economic downturn.”
Senators defeated amendments that would have eliminated or guaranteed Saturday mail delivery. A final vote on the bill could come Wednesday.
The Senate voted tonight to prohibit the U.S. Postal Service from closing rural post offices for a year unless no one from the community objects. The measure, an amendment to an omnibus bill designed to shore up the debt-burdened service, would affect post offices outside metropolitan areas.
"After one year, the mail agency would have to take rural issues into special consideration, including economic impact, the quality of Internet broadband service and location, " The Associated Press reports. "Post offices would generally be shielded from closing if the next closest mail facility was more than 10 miles away."
The amendment, approved on a voice vote, was sponsored by Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., who said, “Protecting our rural post offices is about more than just maintaining brick and mortar — our post offices are the lifeblood for towns across our state and a source of good-paying jobs in areas hard-hit by the economic downturn.”
Senators defeated amendments that would have eliminated or guaranteed Saturday mail delivery. A final vote on the bill could come Wednesday.
No comments:
Post a Comment