March 27, 2012

Manchin Votes Against Bill That Would Allow Post Office Closures, Reduce Delivery Standards And Add to the Deficit

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) issued the following statement after voting against a measure that would allow rural post offices to close, reduce delivery standards and add to the debt. 

“Our post offices are part of the foundation of what makes America great, and our rural post offices are truly the lifelines to the communities they serve,” Senator Manchin said. “Right now, the Postal Service wants to close 3,700 rural post offices – for a savings of $200 million. That $200 million is less than 1 percent of the Postal Services’ $20 billion shortfall, but the impact it will have on rural communities will be devastating. To put that figure in better perspective, closing 3,700 post offices will save us less money than this country spends in one day in Afghanistan. That’s not right – and our priority should be preserving the rural communities that are the heart of this country, not spending American tax dollars in Afghanistan.

“The truth is, today’s bill doesn’t do enough to preserve our rural post offices – instead, it allows postal closures to continue and could eventually reduce delivery to five days a week. Not only that, it adds $6.3 billion to our national debt over the next 10 years. I know there’s a better solution, and I cannot support this measure as it stands.” 

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