Killing the Messenger: U.S. Postal Service in Congress’ Crosshairs

Supporters of the U.S. Post Office in Grand Junction protest further cutbacks at the Patterson Road mail sorting facility on Friday, Nov. 14th.

Supporters of the U.S. Post Office in Grand Junction protest further cutbacks at the Patterson Road mail sorting facility on Friday, Nov. 14th.

Supporters of the U.S. Postal Service rallied outside the Patterson Road Mail Processing Annex in Grand Junction Friday afternoon to protest a new round of cuts that will eliminate Saturday delivery and close 82 more postal stations, including mail sorting facilities, nationwide.

In 2006 Congress mandated that the U.S. Postal Service pre-fund health benefits for its future retirees 75 years in advance, a requirement made of no other business on Earth. The requirement is costing the Postal Service a whopping $5.6 billion per year, making it financially much harder for it to operate. In addition, now the U.S. Postal Board of Governors, which oversees the Post Office, will meet to approve cutbacks aimed at eliminating Saturday mail delivery. These newest rounds of cutbacks will delay the mail, making it take much longer to simply get a letter across town.

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