[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 40 (Wednesday, April 1, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H2037]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        NO-FEE POST OFFICE BOXES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, after nearly 20 years of effort, I have a 
victory to announce: Since I came to the Congress in 1979, my 
constituents in small Nebraska communities and Americans like them 
throughout our Nation have sought relief from the injustice of having 
to pay Post Office box rental fees because the U.S. Postal Service did 
not provide delivery to their homes. They came to the post office to 
pick up their mail because they had no home delivery, and they paid box 
rent for the privilege of doing so.
  Incredibly and unfairly, they paid box rent while saving the U.S. 
Postal Service the cost of providing home delivery, which is provided 
free to urban residents and those living in the countryside. Can you 
believe it?
  Well, finally, Mr. Speaker, that has changed. This afternoon I was 
notified by the U.S. Postal Service that effective April 5, 1998, 
throughout the United States, eligibility for no-fee post office boxes 
finally will be extended to those citizens living in small towns 
without home delivery whose residences or businesses are within the 
immediate vicinity of the post office and who, therefore, are 
ineligible for delivery service.

                              {time}  2230

  See the Federal Register, March 27, 1998, page 14820, for the 
details.
  In the parlance I have learned as a lonely Member fighting this 
inequity over the years for small town America, effective April 5, 
there is no more quarter mile rule. Those Americans will now have free 
box rent for a normal-sized box. The costs are gone at last.
  I congratulate the U.S. Postal Service for making the right decision.

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