Tell Congress to Support the Public Postal Service in the Next COVID-19 Stimulus Package!

Talks in Congress are rapidly progressing regarding further stimulus legislation, and we need your assistance in educating members of Congress about the invaluable service postal workers provide, and the investments that need to be made to ensure USPS is able to continue serving the American public.

On March 27, the President signed the $2.2 trillion CARES Act stimulus into law. While much-needed financial relief for the USPS was in advocated on a bi-partisan basis by the Postal Board of Governors and included in both versions of stimulus by the House of Representatives as well as in the Senate, the final bill left the Postal Service out of any financial relief. The White House insisted there be no such relief and our supporters did not insist on it.

In the large additional stimulus of $500 billion signed April 24 relief for the Postal Service was again lacking. Between the two bills, private corporate and other business interests received almost $1 trillion of financial assistance.

The pandemic economic crisis is having a dire effect on the public Postal Service. As a non-taxpayer funded entity, the USPS solely functions on postal revenue. Due to the COVID pandemic there is a massive reduction in mail; revenue is likely to fall 50%. Without real financial relief, the USPS will run out of money sometime this summer.

Securing this relief is part of our work to ensure the health and safety of postal workers and the long-term future of the Postal Service.   

Members of Congress need to hear workers’ and the public’s stories about how the Postal Service is helping America persevere during this crisis. They should give the USPS the assistance they need to serve the 160 million homes and businesses by including the following provisions of direct COVID relief in the next stimulus bill:

• One-time funding of at least $25 billion to cover immediate revenue loss due to the COVID economic impact on the Postal Service. This immediate relief will enable the USPS to carry out its critical mission to the American people.

• For the duration of the crisis, Congress should provide ongoing funding of the difference between postage revenue and actual operating costs.

• Ensure that USPS workers are given the hazard pay they, and all other frontline workers, deserve for the duration of this crisis.

• No strings attached to any borrowing authority from the Federal Treasury. 

Postal workers are essential workers who continue to step up every day and serve the American public by processing and delivering the mail, be it lifesaving medical supplies or absentee ballots. “APWU members have been crucial in serving the public during this crisis,” said Legislative & Political Director Judy Beard. “Funding for the Postal Service should be a top priority in the next stimulus.”

Send an email to your Senators and Congressional Representative below and let them know about the critical role USPS is playing to help Americans weather this crisis. Urge them to provide the necessary stimulus relief so the crisis is not used as an excuse for this administration to carry out their proclaimed privatization agenda, i.e. selling the public postal service to private corporate interests.