Oregon lawmakers critical of Postal Service cuts
SPRINGFIELD, Ore. - Oregon lawmakers are taking aim at U.S. Postal Service proposals to close processing centers and rural post offices.
At the federal level, Rep. Peter DeFazio has introduced two pieces of legislation aimed at the Postal Service. The Springfield Democrat plans to hold a press conference at the Gateway Processing Center on Friday.
The Postal Service estimates that closing the facility and merging functions with the processing center in Portland would save $4.5 million per year.
And a bi-partisan group of Oregon state senators are petitioning Congress to maintain rural post offices.
More than 41 post offices are under consideration for closure in Oregon, the majority located in rural areas.
The lawmakers note that in Oregon, post offices are not only a place to get mail, but also serve as ballot boxes.
"These closures potentially shut off access to the ballot box in a state pioneering the 'vote by mail' experiment," said Sen. Ted Ferrioli, a Republican from John Day. "Shuttering a rural post office in Oregon is akin to denying access to constitutionally protected voting rights. Such closures will likely reduce voter turnout and harm the elections process. For this reason, no post office in rural Oregon should be included in the review for possible closure."
"Closing a post office in rural Oregon may look like an insignificant rounding error back in Washington DC, but to those who live in the area it is a vital life-line of communication and commerce for businesses, students and families," said Senator Chris Telfer, a Bend Republican.
The Gateway Mail Processing Center, which services all of Southern Oregon, processed 349 million pieces of mail in 2011, a 10 percent increase over the previous year, DeFazio said in a press release. The Congressman said rural post offices in his district in danger of being closed include Agness, Broadbent, Cascadia, Deadwood, Gardiner, Swisshome, Tiller and Walton.
DeFazio plans to appear at the 1:30 p.m. event Dec. 9 with Christine Lundbert, the mayor of Springfield. Also scheduled to speak are Kevin Card, president of Oregon State Association of Letter Carriers Union; Scott and Jeanne Olson, owners of the Springfield Times, Creswell Chronicle and two other weekly papers that use the postal service for distribution; and Barbara Sumner, a senior citizen.
DeFazio plans to discuss two pieces of legislation he introduced.
His office provided this breakdown of the legislation:
HR 3591, Postal Service Protection Act
- Companion legislation was introduced in the Senate by Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont.
- The bill fixes the immediate fiscal problems faced by USPS by allowing them to recover overpayments made to its pension plans. Estimates show that the Postal Service has overpaid by anywhere from $7 to 50 billion.
- The bill eliminates the required $5 billion a year pre-funding of future retiree health benefits.
- The bill prevents closure of rural post offices by giving the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRG) binding authority to prevent closures based on the effect on the community and on employees; not just profit. Currently the PRG only acts in an advisory role.
- The bill requires strict delivery standards for 1st class mail delivery that would make it more difficult to close area mail processing centers.
- The bill would statutorily require 6 day delivery.
- The bill establishes new ways for USPS to generate revenue by providing non-postal services like new media services, issuance of licenses, shipment of beer and wine and shifting more toward electronic mail.
HR 3592, Protecting Rural Post Office Act
- Companion legislation was introduced in the Senate by Senator Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.
- The bill precludes USPS from closing any post office which results in more than 10 miles between any 2 post offices.
