Davis Votes to Increase Competitiveness of Postal Service

Washington, DC -- U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) today spoke in support of the United States Postal Service (USPS) and voted to increase its competitiveness. Davis is a cosponsor of H.R. 2382, the USPS Fairness Act, to correct a 2006 mandate that requires the postal service to pre-fund retiree health benefits decades in advance, which is something no other public or private entity is forced to do and has led to service cuts. H.R. 2382 passed the House today.

Davis' written remarks:

Thank you to my good friend Mr. Meadows. You and I have been working on issues relating to the long-term solvency for many and I look forward to standing on this floor with you in the near future when we come up with a good, comprehensive solution that addresses issues like this at the same time.

Thank you for your leadership and the support of the postal service and the great great postal workers that make up one of the greatest services we have in our country. Unfortunately, it is forced to play by an unfair set of rules. HR 2382, the USPS Fairness Act, corrects this by repealing the 2006 mandate that the postal service pre-fund future retiree health benefits.

In 2006, the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act mandated that the Postal Service pre-fund retiree health benefits decades in advance, something no other public or private enterprise is forced to do. Over the years, this mandate has caused service cuts and damaged the Postal Service’s ability to invest in new delivery vehicles.

I have always been a steadfast supporter of the postal service and its workers. In fact, after speaking to many of the postal unions from my district like the Letter Carriers and Rural Letter Carriers, I proudly cosponsored this important piece of legislation.

I look forward to working with my colleagues on this issue and other important pieces of legislation impacting postal unions, such as opposing the privatization of the postal service and protecting 6-day delivery, door-to-door service, and our rural post offices.

We have to work together. We need to make sure our postal service remains viable.

I urge a “YES” vote on the bill and I look forward to working with all of you in this institution in the future. I yield back.

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