[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 146 (Wednesday, October 14, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S12573]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page S12573]]
                              PITNEY BOWES

 Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to acknowledge an 
important milestone by an important institution in my home state of 
Connecticut--Pitney Bowes. For the past 78 years, Pitney Bowes has been 
at the forefront of technological innovation. The postage metering 
mechanisms that the company patented more than seven decades ago have 
faithfully performed their everyday task of metering postage.
  Twenty years ago Pitney Bowes introduced a postage by phone system, 
which allowed businesses to refill their postage meters over the phone. 
This technology has just passed a major milestone. Recently, Pitney 
Bowes announced the signing of its one-millionth active postage by 
phone customer. Connecticut's Governor, John Rowland, was on hand to 
commemorate this event and presented the company with a proclamation 
noting that nearly three quarters of a billion dollars in time and 
labor have been saved since the postage by phone system was 
implemented.
  Together with numerous mass mailing machines developed over the 
years, Pitney Bowes has changed the face of commerce. They enabled mass 
mail marketing and created millions of jobs. Indeed, every member of 
this body has had a campaign that depended on the mass mail systems 
developed by Pitney Bowes.
  However, Pitney Bowes is not just postage meters. It's not just 
faxes, copiers, software, business services, financial services, or 
cryptographic security for cyberspace transactions and communications. 
It is not just PC postage metering which makes it possible for 
businesses to print postage using only a PC and a standard printer. It 
is not just the $100 million in R&D it spends each year or the dozens 
of new patents that Pitney Bowes receives annually. It is not just 
cutting-edge technology.
  The spirit of Pitney Bowes is found in its people. More than one 
million customers, mostly small businesses, use Pitney Bowes products 
to efficiently conduct their business. Tens of millions of our citizens 
benefit from the company's mailing and messaging systems. More than 
thirty thousand employees--seven thousand of these in Connecticut--are 
dedicated to making all of our jobs easier. It is this spirit that has 
resulted in Pitney Bowes being repeatedly listed as one of the 100 best 
companies to work for in America, recognized as providing meaningful 
opportunities for women and minorities, and respected as a leader in 
the Connecticut business community.
  Congratulations to the Pitney Bowes workforce on this new 
milestone.

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