[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 92 (Thursday, June 20, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1125-E1126]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             POSTAL REFORM

                                 ______


                          HON. JOHN M. McHUGH

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 19, 1996

  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, the following letter by Postmaster General 
Marvin Runyon was published in the June 1, 1996 Washington Post as a 
rebuttal to an earlier Washington Post column calling for the creation 
of a Government commission to address the complex issues of postal 
reform. The authors of the original article--Messrs. David Ginsburg, 
Murray Comarow, Robert Hardesty and David Harris--argued in their guest 
column, ``Delivery for the Postal Service,'' that postal reform would 
best be addressed through the creation of a Government commission to 
report and analyze these important public policy issues. While I do not 
embrace that conclusion, I included their column in the Congressional 
Record of June 6.
  In his rebuttal, Mr. Runyon argues to the contrary and says that the 
Postal Service cannot wait for results of findings of a commission. Mr. 
Runyon stresses that the Postal Service has begun to meet the demands 
of today's mail delivery and that legislative reforms are needed to 
keep it thriving for years to come. I will be introducing such 
legislation in the next few days.

[[Page E1126]]

                [From the Washington Post, June 1, 1996]

                           Already Delivering

                           (By Marvin Runyon)

       Were the Postal Service a private company, it would be the 
     ninth-largest business in the United States. It is bigger 
     than Coca-Cola, Xerox and Eastman Kodak--combined. With more 
     than 750,000 employees in all U.S. states and territories, 
     the U.S. Postal Service is the largest civilian employer in 
     the country--accounting for one out of every 170 U.S. 
     paychecks. Last year, the Postal Service delivered 181 
     billion pieces of mail--more pieces in a day than Federal 
     Express delivers in a year.
       No doubt the complex and amazing U.S. Postal Service faces 
     some serious challenges. But does anyone seriously believe 
     that this calls for creating another government commission?
       In their article of May 20 [``Delivery for the Postal 
     Service,'' op-ed] four friends of the Postal Service--David 
     Ginsburg, Murray Comarow, Robert L. Hardesty and David F. 
     Harris--argue for just such a panel.
       The fact is, the Postal Service can't wait for a 
     commission. We've already begun to turn things around.
       No tax dollars fill our coffers. And the real price of a 
     stamp, when adjusted for inflation, is about the same today 
     as it was in 1971. But today's Postal Service makes a profit. 
     Last year, we earned $1.8 billion. So far, we're on track to 
     earn between $700 million and $900 million in fiscal 1996.
       In 1995 we set a record of 88 percent for on-time delivery. 
     We expect to set a new record when new statistics are 
     released next week. Moreover, we intend to raise our national 
     on-time delivery average for local first-class mail to 92 
     percent by next year. By 2000, we are aiming for 95 percent 
     or better, with similar improvements in other service 
     categories.
       We're also working to raise revenue and exploring the 
     universe of technology. In the coming months, we will be 
     launching hybrid mail services that combine the speed of 
     computer messaging with the security and impact of the U.S. 
     Mail. We'll also be introducing electronic money transfer 
     services, international catalogue shopping, convenient new 
     bill-paying methods and dozens of new services available at 
     our 40,000 post offices.
       And we're increasing service, not costs, by reengineering 
     the way we deliver the mail. Last year, we launched a new 
     blueprint for excellence called CustomerPerfect!, which is 
     helping us examine how we deliver the mail every step along 
     the way, from the back dock to the customer's mailbox. At the 
     same time, we're working to reduce labor costs, which account 
     for some 80 percent of our annual budget.
       But more must be done. Legislative reform is needed to 
     allow the Postal Service to keep pace with the communications 
     business; for example, to offer business customers volume 
     discounts and customized service contracts. We need the 
     authority to test new products more easily and bring them to 
     market more quickly. And we need changes that will bring 
     labor negotiations back to the bargaining table so we can 
     better control our costs.
       The Postal Service doesn't need a commission. It needs to 
     have the shackles of government regulation loosened so it can 
     continue its commitment to excellence.

                          ____________________