Photo: WDIO-TV

From WDIO-TV • March 11, 2022

Minnesota's U.S. Senators are cheering final approval of a bill that will ensure Saturday mail delivery continues, require reporting of delivery delays, and make financial changes to ensure the Postal Service's long-term viability.

The Postal Service Reform Act passed the U.S. Senate on Tuesday on a 79 to 19 vote. It now goes to President Joe Biden, who is expected to sign it into law.

The long-fought postal overhaul has been years in the making and comes amid widespread complaints about mail service slowdowns. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) said the law will require the Postal Service to publish local weekly service data on its website.

 

"I shouldn't have to hear from a farmer in Lanesboro or from a small business owner in Duluth or from a grandma who didn't get her birthday card to track delays. That's insane!," Klobuchar told WDIO news.

"We should be able to track every package and know if there are delays across the system," she said.

Officials have repeatedly warned that without congressional action the Postal Service would run out of cash by 2024. To improve its finances, the bill would lift unusual budget requirements that have contributed to its red ink.

Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minnesota) says the Postal Service had been facing an "unreasonable financial burden" created by past legislation.

 

"I talked to businesses and families and also people who work at the post office and they all see this as a really important piece of legislation, something that's going to help to keep the post office working for a long time to come," Smith said.

The bill received support from all Democrats in the Senate as well as 29 Republicans. Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson was among 19 Republicans who voted against the bill.

Johnson had co-sponsored an amendment that would have forced all future Postal Service retirees to obtain healthcare through Medicare, but Democratic Senate leaders did not bring the proposed amendment up for a vote.

To watch the original report and see related reporting, follow this link to the WDIO-TV website. https://www.wdio.com/politics-news/us-postal-service-reform-act-saturday-mail-delivery/6415864/