House panel passes bill allowing Postal Service to advance plans to close 178 Iowa post offices
Washington, DC - October 13, 2011 - Today, Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) released the following statement as the US House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform considers the Postal Reform Act, a bill that, in part, allows the Postal Service to move forward with plans to close up to 178 small town Iowa post offices. Braley is a member of the panel.
Braley was able to successfully amend the bill to require the Postal Service to report on the number of jobs eliminated by their proposed post office closures, including the number of veterans jobs eliminated. Braley's amendment was passed with unanimous, bipartisan support.
"I grew up in a small town, and I know how important post offices are to these communities," Braley said. "It may not seem like much to a bureaucrat in Washington, but a post office is the centerpiece of a small town. If not for the post office, what else would provide the spark for economic development? What business would open in a town without one?
"No question, the Postal Service needs to change to survive. But it doesn't have to build its recovery on the backs of small town Americans. That's why I'm working to improve this bill and prevent post office closures in Iowa. I'm disappointed that the bill we're considering today doesn't protect small town post offices."
If passed by the panel, the Postal Reform Act of 2011 would move to the full House for consideration. If passed by the House, it would advance to the Senate for consideration.
The Postal Reform Act:
- Allows the Postal Service to eliminate Saturday delivery.
- Establishes a commission to close post offices and postal facilities.
- Reduces rural mail delivery.
- Allows the Postal Service to sell advertising space on property and vehicles.
- Allows the Postal Service to raise the price of bulk mail delivery.
Braley has sponsored an alternative postal reorganization plan that would prevent post office closures by allowing the Postal Service to reclaim billions of dollars in overpayments it has made in recent years to its employees' retirement system.
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