WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) released the following statement after the Senate passed the bipartisan Postal Service Reform Act of 2021:

“I have heard from Delawareans across the state about the crisis in postal delays, with some people going weeks without mail service. This isn’t just a nuisance; it means delays in access to medications, missed mortgage and utility payments, and other serious problems,” said Senator Coons. “It’s long past time for Congress to take these critical steps to revitalize our postal system and implement needed reforms so that Delawareans can once again rely on dependable, regular mail services and the hard-working postal workers who keep it going.”

The Postal Service Reform Act (S.1720) would take significant steps towards reform, including: 

  • Eliminating the requirement to prefund retiree health benefits. The USPS would only need to make a payment once a year for the actual cost of retiree health benefits.
  • Establish a new Postal Service Health Benefits Program (PSHB) for employees and retirees under age 64. Employees over 64 will be required to enroll in Medicare.
  • Codify a 6-day mail delivery week.
  • Require the U.S.P.S. to meet service performance targets and to publicly post service data.
  • Authorize U.S.P.S. to offer non-postal products and services, which will raise revenue to support improved mail services.

This bill has been endorsed by the National Association of Letter Carriers and the National Postal Mail Handlers Union.

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