Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06) praised a legal opinion issued today by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) stating that the United States Postal Service (USPS) must continue six-day delivery. On January 15, 2013, Congressman Graves introduced a resolution expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States Postal Service should take all appropriate measures to ensure the continuation of its 6-day mail delivery service. It currently has 152 cosponsors.
In today's letter to Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA), ranking member of the House Subcommittee on Government Operations, the GAO stated that the so-called Continuing Resolution, which funds the government through the end of September 2013, keeps in place language requiring "the U.S. Postal Service to continue 6-day delivery and rural delivery of mail at not less than the 1983 level." The House today passed the Continuing Resolution, which heads to the president's desk for signature.
"This legal opinion is a victory for America's seniors, rural communities, and small businesses," said Congressman Graves. "There is still a large group of people -- particularly in rural areas -- whose lifeline to the outside world is the Postal Service. The USPS does need reform; however, reducing core services is not a long-term plan, and I worry that reducing services will lead to other reductions like closing rural post offices."