Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley delivered a speech this week on the Senate floor to call attention to the urgent United States Postal Service (USPS) issues impacting Oregonians. His speech focused on the first-hand stories of Oregonians who rely on the Postal Service for everything from the delivery of lifesaving medications to running their small businesses to staying connected with loved ones.
“Postmaster General DeJoy labeled his restructuring plan ‘Delivering for America.’ A better name for this plan would be ‘Delaying Mail in America,’” Merkley said. “U.S. Postal Service leadership claims that downgrades won’t slow deliveries. But every delivery route will be slower if you add more than 500 miles to it……you only need to look at what’s happening in my home state.”
“Meanwhile, the Postal Service continues to raise prices! As of July 14, a single stamp now costs 73 cents. The Postal Service calls this new system ‘more efficient and cost-effective.’ I call it: ‘paying more and getting less.’ These price hikes and delivery delays hurt rural communities most.”
“Now is the time to reverse DeJoy’s downgrades. Now we need to restore reliable, affordable mail delivery. Now is the time to take the Delivering for America plan and return it to the sender.”
Video of the speech can be found here or by clicking below: