July 1, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 121 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session

[Page S4146]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 644--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT THE 
   UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE SHOULD REMAIN A STRONG AND UNIVERSAL 
  SERVICE FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES, AND SHOULD RECEIVE AN 
  APPROPRIATION TO OFFSET REVENUES LOST DUE TO THE COVID-19 EMERGENCY

  Mr. BOOKER (for himself, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Peters, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. 
Whitehouse, Mr. Carper, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Jones, Mr. Coons, Mr. 
Reed, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Sanders, Ms. Smith, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Rosen, Mr. 
Bennet, Mr. Udall, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. Harris, Mr. Merkley, Mr. King, 
Ms. Sinema, Mr. Markey, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Tester, Mr. Durbin, Mr. 
Murphy, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Manchin, Mr. Cardin, Ms. Stabenow, Ms. 
Klobuchar, Mr. Brown, Ms. Duckworth, Ms. Warren, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. 
Wyden, Ms. Cantwell, Ms. Hassan, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. 
Heinrich, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Casey, Mr. Leahy, and Mr. Warner) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs:

                              S. Res. 644

       Whereas the United States Postal Service is, by law, ``a 
     basic and fundamental service provided to the people by the 
     Government of the United States, authorized by the 
     Constitution, created by Act of Congress, and supported by 
     the people'';
       Whereas the United States Postal Service is obligated under 
     the law to ``provide prompt, reliable, and efficient services 
     to patrons in all areas'' and ``render services to all 
     communities'', in such a way so that ``the costs of the 
     Postal Service shall not be apportioned to impair the overall 
     value of such service to the people'';
       Whereas the United States Postal Service maintains a 
     universal network that connects all rural, suburban, and 
     urban communities in the United States;
       Whereas the United States Postal Service carries necessary 
     correspondence and goods to each community, including 
     prescriptions and critical medications;
       Whereas the United States Postal Service uniquely serves 
     ``the last mile'', delivering to every business and 
     residential customer not fewer than 6 days per week;
       Whereas the United States Postal Service helps small 
     businesses stay connected with their customers no matter 
     where they live;
       Whereas more than 630,000 employees work for the United 
     States Postal Service, including more than 97,000 military 
     veterans, to carry out this mission; and
       Whereas the United States Postal Service is at the center 
     of the mailing industry, which generates $1,600,000,000,000 
     annually and employs approximately 7,300,000 individuals in 
     the United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate--
       (1) that the United States Postal Service--
       (A) should not close post offices or facilities, especially 
     in areas that would otherwise lack access to the services 
     these facilities provide;
       (B) should not reduce its standards of service, or prevent 
     individuals and businesses in every community from receiving 
     their mail expediently and predictably;
       (C) should not unduly or excessively raise the prices of 
     its products or services in such a way as to jeopardize the 
     affordability and accessibility of such products and services 
     in each community across the nation; and
       (D) should maintain prompt, reliable, and efficient 
     services to all patrons affordably, as required under the law 
     and by the people of the United States; and
       (2) that Congress should appropriate funds to offset lost 
     revenues of the United States Postal Service during the 
     COVID-19 emergency and should take all appropriate measures 
     to ensure the United States Postal Service maintains its 
     services and remains an accessible, independent establishment 
     of the Federal Government.

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