Postal Reorganization Act

The Postal Reorganization Act is an American law signed by President Richard Nixon in 1970. The law takes the Post Office Department out of the Cabinet of the President and makes it an independent agency. This agency is the United States Postal Service.

 Background 
The Post Office had been struggling due to Congress. Because the department was a part of the government, Congress had to approve most things that happened to it. This made change to the Postal Office Department very slow, and this did not sit well with the Postal Unions. They wanted more change to improve the conditions of the Postal Workers, but Congress was too slow to bring in rapid change. The unions worked with Congress and the president to create a better system. The Postal Reorganization Act was the final product of this work.

 Details 
One of the changes was the business goal of the Postal Service. Now that they were an independent agency, they did not receive money from Congress, so they had to work to make money through the selling of stamps and shipping.

Another was their new way of choosing the Postmaster General. A Board of Governors is elected by the president, and these people are able to choose the Postmaster General.

The Post Office Department also changed their name to the United States Postal Service, and this is the same Postal Service that is delivering mail today.

 References 

 The United States Postal Service: An American history. (2020). Washington D.C.: U.S. Postal Service.

 Other websites 
 The Postal Reorganization Act (Original Statute) 

Category:1970 in the United States
Category:Postal history
Category:United States Postal Service