e-Team Report, Sept. 15, 2014

Senate Majority Leader Reid Steps Up for Postal Workers

The ongoing effort by APWU and our partners to block destructive cuts to America’s mail service has recently gained a powerful ally.  On Thursday, September 4th, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) added his name to the list of senators opposing the Postal Service’s destructive mail slowdown and plant closure plan.  Now with his signature, an outright majority of senators are calling for a government funding bill that places a one-year moratorium on the Postal Service attempts to close up to 82 mail processing plants, slow down mail delivery, and eliminate up to 15,000 jobs.

To read more about Senate Majority Leader Reid signing the letter to Senate Appropriations Committee, please click here.

160 Members of Congress Say 'No' to Mail Slowdown and Closures

Thanks in large part to fantastic outreach by APWU members to their lawmakers' offices, not only are a bipartisan majority of senators standing up for a prompt, reliable mail delivery but now a large contingent of House members are doing the same. 

Starting over the summer recess, a bipartisan group of representatives, 5 Republicans and 5 Democrats, circulated a letter in the House that calls for an upcoming government funding bill to fix to looming postal cuts. In just a short period of time, 160 representatives signed on to the letter and called for a 1-year moratorium on mail plant closures and degrading service standards.  The letter was delivered Thursday, September 11 to the leaders of the House Appropriations Committee.  The letter, which seeks legislative changes in a government funding bill, is particularly timely because Congress is expected to begin consideration of a government funding bill very soon.

The House members who led this important effort are Reps. Dave Joyce (R-OH), Ron Kind (D-WI), Pete King (R-NY), Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Michael Grimm (R-NY), Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM), Michael Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Matt Cartwright (D-PA).

To see if your representative has signed on, please click here.  If your representative signed, please take a moment to call their office and express your thanks!

To read a copy of letter sent to the House Appropriations Committee, please click here.