I wanted to share some information on what we recently delivered on in the Senate: newly passed bipartisan legislation that will ensure the Postal Service maintains six-days of delivery per week—changes were under consideration—and puts the Postal Service on better financial footing after years of beleaguered budgets. It’s now headed to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law, and I’m proud to have cosponsored this legislation and helped get it over the finish line.
Minnesotans and Americans across the country rely on the Postal Service—it’s how we get our medicine, Social Security checks and veterans benefits. And it’s also how many of us vote. Its services are so vital that it’s included in our Constitution. No matter where you live, you rely on the Postal Service.
Yet, as you may know, the Postal Service has been plagued by unfair financial burdens. These challenges have made it hard to deliver reliable service, especially in the long run. I’ve been pushing in the Senate to ensure the USPS gets the stable footing it needs, so I’m proud we could deliver on this legislation.
Reforming the Postal Service
The bipartisan Postal Service Reform Act will modernize the USPS and make it more transparent, accountable, and financially stable. It’s also supported by Republicans and Democrats, postal workers, unions, and businesses.
Here is what it will do:
- Ensure there are no cuts to delivery by permanently requiring the Postal Service to deliver six days per week.
- Save taxpayers $27 billion over the next decade by eliminating an unusual requirement for the USPS to pre-fund retiree health benefits 75 years into the future.
- Require all future Postal Service retirees to enroll in Medicare. Approximately a quarter of retirees did not enroll in Medicare despite paying into it and being eligible. This will save taxpayers an additional nearly $23 billion over the next decade.
- Modernize the USPS by requiring a public-facing, online dashboard, so Minnesotans and Americans can see how it’s performing.
This bill is long overdue, but its passage is significant. I am proud to have supported this legislation. And I look forward to seeing its impact on the growth and longevity of this essential service for generations of Minnesotans and Americans to come.
-Tina Smith
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