Lew Henry: Please help save our U.S. Postal Service from bankruptcy

To The Daily Sun,

We are retired letter carriers and we are writing to warn you of a potential bleak future for the U.S. Postal Service. COVID-19 has halted most first class and marketing mail depriving The USPS of much needed revenue. The federal government must act quickly to pass relief legislation for The USPS or, by September 30, they will be out of money.

Our letter carriers, a quarter of whom are veterans, have never stood taller than during this pandemic! Delivering our nation's mail seven days a week, despite grievous risks to their health and safety, they have shown their dedication to public service. As foot traffic plummets, small businesses depend on the Postal Service to deliver the packages that generate revenue for them. Our health care industry depends on the Postal Service to deliver four million prescriptions each day, in addition to medical supplies, lab tests, and hopefully COVID-19 tests. Absentee voting will not be possible without The USPS.

Pew Research Center polling finds that The USPS is consistently America's most admired federal agency, with 91 percent of all Americans, Democrats and Republicans alike, giving it this favorable rating. In good times and bad the Postal Service is a trusted public service. It truly ties our great nation together, connecting 160 million homes and businesses from every corner of our country. It is the community hub for most of small town America, essential for their businesses, government, and community. A letter mailed in Colebrook, N.H. is delivered in a very few days to Hayden, Idaho — all this for only 55 cents. A true public service.

Though American leaders, both Democrats and Republicans, worked together to add a $13 billion direct grant for Postal Service relief, much less than is needed but all that was offered at the time, to the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, it was removed at the last minute because Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told lawmakers that President Trump would not sign the Act if any money for The USPS was included. So it was removed, as the act was immediately necessary and could not be delayed. In its place, over Mnuchin's objections, a $10 billion loan for the Postal Service was added. This will barely extend the USPS operations into September and will be added to the Postal Service debt that must be paid back. The Trump administration has shown eagerness to privatize the Postal Service and this pandemic is giving them an opening to starve the Postal Service of funds. In addition, the president has an ongoing feud with Jeff Bezos of Amazon, and with The USPS delivering millions of Amazon's packages this is another opportunity for the president to interfere.

Please contact your senators and representative and ask them to support any current or future bills that will give relief to the Postal Service.

Lew Henry, Gilmanton

Jim Fucella, Manchester

Terry Gesel, Manchester

Bill Brickley, Manchester