e-Team Report, April 5, 2013

Congress Back In Session Next Week, Look for New Co-Sponsors To Postal Bills

As Congress was out of session this week, Congressional members visited their districts giving an opportunity for constituents concerned about the future of the Postal Service to reach out to their elected representatives and urge passage of legislation that will reverse USPS’s financial crisis.  So, be on the lookout for an updated list of co-sponsors in the House and Senate for the Postal Service Protection Act (H.R. 630 and S. 316), and the Postal Service Stabilization (H.R. 961) when Congress resumes session next week. 

The Postal Service Protection Act gets to the heart of the Postal Service’s economic troubles which has resulted in a slew of job cuts and closures, including the recently announced accelerated closures of 53 mail processing facilities. The legislation would fix the Postal Service’s financial crisis by ending the mandate requiring pre-funding 75 years worth of future retiree benefits, a burden no other government agency or private company bears.  Further, it would refund the agency’s overpayments to FERS and the CSRS, and re-establish delivery standards that help keep mail processing facilities open. 

APWU members, retirees and concerned citizens are encouraged to continue contacting their legislators and demand postal legislation that saves the Postal Service!

To send a letter or email message to your legislators in support of S. 316 and H.R. 630, click here.

Vacancies and Retirements in the 113th Congress

We’re only three months into the 113th Congress and already there have been a number of changes in who represents us.  Right now, there are four vacancies in Congress which will be filled through special elections in the next few weeks.  The three vacancies in the House of Representatives are in Chicago, coastal South Carolina, and Southeastern Missouri) and the one Senate vacancy is in Massachusetts.  So far, seven senators have announced their retirement and that they will not seek re-election in 2014, in addition to two senators who have already resigned.

To see a full breakdown of changes in the House and Senate’s membership, please click here.

A Look Ahead to 2014 Elections

For those interested in looking into the future, the Cook Political Report is already making projections about the outcome of 2014’s House and Senate races.  These race ratings are an attempt by Cook Political Report, an independent and nonpartisan publication, to gauge how competitive or safe each House and Senate seat will be next year.

As there is plenty of time between now and November 2014, these projections should be taken with a grain of salt. To view Cook’s House ratings, please click here. To view Cook’s Senate ratings, please click here.