AUSPL News

By Harry Glenn

The 113th Congress closed with a flurry of activity last month and members of your AUSPL board and staff were on the ground in our nation’s Capital to monitor legislative activity and meet the key players on postal reform legislation in the upcoming 114th Congress.

President of the Board Morgan Wolaver, Vice President Gary Phillips, and Director of Operations Mark Karolczyk were pleased to learn while they were there that the final omnibus appropriations bill to keep the federal government open and running through September 30, 2015 included a legislative provision stating, “That none of the funds provided in this Act shall be used to consolidate or close small rural and other small post offices.” The legislation also included a provision requiring the postal service to maintain six-day mail delivery throughout the same time period.

As we enter the October/November election phase of this year, Members of Congress have returned to their home districts to campaign for reelection. Prior to leaving Capitol Hill, they passed a stopgap spending measure to fund the government until they return after the election. Some additional items were included in the funding measure, although the measure avoids controversial provisions such as addressing the U.S. Postal Service’s plan to close 82 facilities nationwide in 2015.

There remains some possibility of postal reform passing in the lame duck session of Congress, after the elections. However, that is increasingly unlikely . . .