As Capitol Hill moves forward on historic stimulus packages, it is vital to remind them of the essential work performed by the postal service. The needs of the Postal Services and its workers should be a priority and included in any spending plan.
Mail Handlers and their fellow postal employees are ensuring that Americans are getting essential medicine, correspondence and other necessities during this pandemic. Postal Workers need to be protected and assured that the Postal Service will have the financial means to not only meet the demands of the public, but also provide for the health and safety of its dedicated workforce.
The Postal Service is the driver of a $1.4 trillion-a-year mailing industry and employs over 7.5 million individuals – a similar size to the airline and automotive industries. Unlike these other industries, the Postal Service impacts every American household and business. As the country enters an unprecedented economic downturn, the Postal Service faces serious threats to its viability. Yet as it’s being threatened, it continues to play an important role by delivering public health information, distributing protective gear and supplies for health care workers, and transporting consumer goods purchased online. Congress has ignored the Postal Service and postal workers in the first stimulus bill. It appears that the Postal Service and its employees were not priorities for them. We must make sure that we are not ignored again in subsequent stimulus bills. Congress must act now to protect the Postal Service, its employees, and its customers.
Call your Representative, telling them the Postal Service needs to be included in a stimulus package. You can contact them through the Capitol Switch Board at 202-224-3121. The Postal Service cannot become another victim of the COVID-19 pandemic.