DURBIN MEETS WITH POSTMASTER GENERAL TO STRESS IMPORTANCE OF MORATORIUM ON POSTAL CLOSINGS

Senate expected to consider comprehensive legislation as early as next week

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Just over a month after he secured a voluntary agreement from the U.S. Postal Service to establish a five-month moratorium on closing postal facilities, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with the Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe to stress the importance of keeping that promise while Congress works to enact postal reform legislation.  According to Durbin, the Senate could begin consideration of comprehensive legislation as early as next week.  Deputy Postmaster General Ronald Stroman also attended today’s meeting.

“The Postmaster General assured me again that no postal facilities in Illinois will close during the five-month moratorium which runs until May 15,” said Durbin.  “With roughly 1,800 people employed at the nine mail processing facilities in Illinois that are being studied for consolidation, it is imperative that Congress move forward with comprehensive legislation that will save jobs while strengthening the best postal service in the world.  The Postal Service as we know it today must adapt to our new high—tech world and I am working with my colleagues in Congress to put forth a responsible plan of action beginning as early as next week.”

On December 13, 2011, Durbin joined with 14 other Senators to announce that at their request, the Postal Service voluntarily agreed to put in place a five-month moratorium on closing postal facilities.  Their announcement followed a meeting between several Senators, Donahoe and the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors Chairman Thurgood Marshall, Jr., in which Senators expressed concern over the impact of reduced service and the loss of thousands of jobs.  During the moratorium, scheduled to end on May 15, 2012, the Postal Service will continue to study the impact of proposed closures on service and costs and to solicit community input.

On September 15, 2011, the U.S. Postal Service announced plans to review its mail processing network in the hopes of reducing costs.  The Postal Service is currently considering the elimination of overnight delivery and studying the possibility of closing 3,700 mostly rural post offices and 252 mail processing facilities.

Of the nearly 250 facilities being studied for consolidation, nine are in Illinois, including five – Rockford, Springfield, Quincy, Carbondale and Centralia – that are being considered for consolidation with out-of-state facilities.  All nine facilities are owned by the Postal Service and employ a total of approximately 1,800 people.