In a May 6 opinion article in The Hill, Christopher Shaw and Osamah Khalil discuss the importance of the United States Postal Service to national security in the United States.
They say the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the attention of the American Public the importance of the US Postal Service during a national crisis. Despite closures of many businesses and stay-at-home orders across the country, USPS Letter Carriers are on the job daily. They are delivering medicine and groceries, as well as the products which allow retail businesses to continue operations and keep their employees working.
As the only entity that reaches every address in the country six days a week, the USPS is in a unique position to deliver health and emergency materials and communications to the American public quickly and efficiently. The USPS has in place the sorting facilities, retail postal facilities, vehicles and planned routes to easily reach 350 million Americans in a matter of days.
In addition, the USPS has successfully created plans and completed pilot programs for distribution of necessary supplies during public health emergencies. When coronavirus testing kits become available, the USPS has the means and experience to distribute those kits to all Americans quickly.
Now is the time to strengthen the USPS, not privatize it say Shaw and Khalil. As is the case for many private companies, the USPS is in need of additional funds. It is time for Congress to recognize value in the ability of the USPS to reach all Americans across the country and make emergency funds available.
See the full text of the article here.
Opinions stated in the article are the opinions of its authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of AUSPL.