WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. released the following statement today following the U.S. Postal Service’s announcement that it intends to cut back Saturday mail delivery, beginning this coming August:

“While I recognize that the United States Postal Service (USPS) is under tremendous financial pressure, I am nonetheless disappointed by the Postmaster General’s announcement that he intends to end Saturday first-class mail delivery service beginning this summer.  In effect, the plan to end selected service, while generating cost savings, could have a significant detrimental impact on the regular delivery of items that are vital to Mainers and small businesses throughout the state.  As I have previously said, the current financial challenges faced by the USPS should not preclude the preservation of six day postal service and convenient community access, which are critical to towns, both large and small, in Maine and across the nation.

“It is my hope that Congress accepts today’s announcement as an impetus to immediately begin work on postal reform legislation to adequately address the USPS’s looming economic crisis. Last year, Senators Collins and Lieberman worked tirelessly to pass a bipartisan bill – which ultimately failed in the House of Representatives – that encouraged the postal service to cut internal costs first, rather than eliminate services or raise prices.  These decisions are difficult but common-sense reforms like the ones advocated in that measure are preferential and will ultimately help to maintain the solvency of USPS and preserve its essential services.”

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