Title: A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the United States Postal Service should remain a strong and universal service for the people of the United States, and should receive an appropriation to offset revenues lost due to the COVID-19 emergency.
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics

Summary:
This resolution expresses the sense of the Senate that (1) the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) should not close post offices or facilities, reduce its standards of service, or raise prices in a way that jeopardizes the affordability and accessibility of its products and services; and (2) Congress should appropriate funds to offset lost revenues of the USPS during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency and should ensure that it maintains its services and remains an accessible, independent establishment of the federal government.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 644 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 644

   Expressing the sense of the Senate that the United States Postal 
Service should remain a strong and universal service for the people of 
   the United States, and should receive an appropriation to offset 
              revenues lost due to the COVID-19 emergency.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              July 1, 2020

 Mr. Booker (for himself, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Peters, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. 
  Whitehouse, Mr. Carper, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Jones, Mr. Coons, Mr. 
Reed, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Sanders, Ms. Smith, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Rosen, Mr. 
 Bennet, Mr. Udall, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. Harris, Mr. Merkley, Mr. King, 
   Ms. Sinema, Mr. Markey, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Tester, Mr. Durbin, Mr. 
    Murphy, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Manchin, Mr. Cardin, Ms. Stabenow, Ms. 
 Klobuchar, Mr. Brown, Ms. Duckworth, Ms. Warren, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. 
 Wyden, Ms. Cantwell, Ms. Hassan, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. 
Heinrich, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Casey, Mr. Leahy, and Mr. Warner) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
             on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing the sense of the Senate that the United States Postal 
Service should remain a strong and universal service for the people of 
   the United States, and should receive an appropriation to offset 
              revenues lost due to the COVID-19 emergency.

Whereas the United States Postal Service is, by law, ``a basic and fundamental 
        service provided to the people by the Government of the United States, 
        authorized by the Constitution, created by Act of Congress, and 
        supported by the people'';
Whereas the United States Postal Service is obligated under the law to ``provide 
        prompt, reliable, and efficient services to patrons in all areas'' and 
        ``render services to all communities'', in such a way so that ``the 
        costs of the Postal Service shall not be apportioned to impair the 
        overall value of such service to the people'';
Whereas the United States Postal Service maintains a universal network that 
        connects all rural, suburban, and urban communities in the United 
        States;
Whereas the United States Postal Service carries necessary correspondence and 
        goods to each community, including prescriptions and critical 
        medications;
Whereas the United States Postal Service uniquely serves ``the last mile'', 
        delivering to every business and residential customer not fewer than 6 
        days per week;
Whereas the United States Postal Service helps small businesses stay connected 
        with their customers no matter where they live;
Whereas more than 630,000 employees work for the United States Postal Service, 
        including more than 97,000 military veterans, to carry out this mission; 
        and
Whereas the United States Postal Service is at the center of the mailing 
        industry, which generates $1,600,000,000,000 annually and employs 
        approximately 7,300,000 individuals in the United States: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate--
            (1) that the United States Postal Service--
                    (A) should not close post offices or facilities, 
                especially in areas that would otherwise lack access to 
                the services these facilities provide;
                    (B) should not reduce its standards of service, or 
                prevent individuals and businesses in every community 
                from receiving their mail expediently and predictably;
                    (C) should not unduly or excessively raise the 
                prices of its products or services in such a way as to 
                jeopardize the affordability and accessibility of such 
                products and services in each community across the 
                nation; and
                    (D) should maintain prompt, reliable, and efficient 
                services to all patrons affordably, as required under 
                the law and by the people of the United States; and
            (2) that Congress should appropriate funds to offset lost 
        revenues of the United States Postal Service during the COVID-
        19 emergency and should take all appropriate measures to ensure 
        the United States Postal Service maintains its services and 
        remains an accessible, independent establishment of the Federal 
        Government.
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