Hinchey bill would avert rural PO closures

Posted 9/30/09

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Maurice Hinchey has joined several of his U.S. House colleagues in introducing the Postal Service Protection Act, legislation designed to alleviate the U.S. Postal …

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Hinchey bill would avert rural PO closures

Posted

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Maurice Hinchey has joined several of his U.S. House colleagues in introducing the Postal Service Protection Act, legislation designed to alleviate the U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) immediate financial crisis and prevent the layoff of thousands of USPS employees nationwide.

Of special interest to the local area is a provision that would prevent the closing of rural post offices by giving the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) binding authority to prevent closures based on the effect on the community and employees. The bill would also prohibit USPS from considering whether a post office is turning a profit when making the decision to conduct a feasibility study for closure.

Among other provisions, it would also allow the USPS to recover the overpayments it made to its retiree pension funds and establish new ways to generate revenue by ending the prohibition on USPS providing non-postal services, such as providing notary services, new media services and issuance of licenses.

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