[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 109 (Tuesday, July 31, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H4966-H4967]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  2000
             BONUSES FOR TOP U.S. POSTAL SERVICE EXECUTIVES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shuster). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 
5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to take just a few 
minutes tonight to talk about the raises that the executives in the 
post office decided to give themselves, which is kind of ironic when 
small businesses in America, as well as those who need to send out 
flyers about their businesses and what they are hoping to do to 
increase their business, are paying the rates.
  Let me give an example. I have a Washington Post article that ran 
last week, and the first part of the article says, ``The U.S. Postal 
Service is staring at a $2 billion deficit this year, yet

[[Page H4967]]

the postmaster general has told its top managers that they could see 
performance bonuses of up to 25 percent of their salaries.''
  Now, Mr. Speaker, I think when an agency or a business, whatever it 
might be, is losing a projected $2 billion this year, yet they are 
giving bonuses to their top management of 25 percent, with the 
taxpayers of this country who use the postal system paying the freight 
for that increase, there is something wrong.
  The second part of the paragraph says, ``The postal service has 
increased postal rates twice this year, but United States Postal 
Service officials are still projecting a deficit of $1.6 billion to 
$2.4 billion, blaming higher fuel costs and increasing competition from 
online services.''
  Mr. Speaker, the reason I wanted to come forward is because in the 
year 2000, the post office ended the year with a $1.9 million loss, yet 
that same year, the year 2000, they paid out $197 million in bonuses to 
employees. Again, I came to the floor tonight because I think there is 
something seriously wrong when the U.S. Postal Service is losing that 
kind of money yet paying those kind of bonuses.
  In this great Nation that we live, America, we are usually rewarded 
for being successful, not for losing money and then charging the 
customer the rates they have been charging. Let me read a couple other 
points to my colleagues.
  This is from the Federal Times Postal News, and it says ``The outlook 
may appear sour for this year for the U.S. Postal Service, which is 
facing a potential $2 billion deficit, but many postal service 
executives may be on the brink of a banner year. Postmaster General 
John Potter told top postal executives if the postal service continues 
increasing productivity this year, their bonuses could amount to 25 
percent of their salaries.''
  He says they are increasing productivity, yet they are still losing 
between $1 billion and $2 billion. That is kind of laughable to me, 
quite frankly, Mr. Speaker. Let me also mention that in 2000, which I 
mentioned earlier, they paid out over $208 million while losing money.
  Mr. Speaker, I guess the reason I wanted to come to the floor tonight 
is simply to point out that the American people are looking to those of 
us in the United States Congress to tell the post office to get their 
act straight, to start serving the people and making some money, and 
then maybe those bonuses will be worth it.
  I have put in a resolution that would deal with this. It is a 
nonbinding resolution, quite frankly, but it would give Members of the 
House a chance to come to the floor and talk about the fact that they 
are not worthy of this kind of increase in their bonuses, in my 
opinion.
  I will make quick reference to a Washington Times article of this 
past Friday called ``Going Postal Bonus,'' and it talks about just how 
absolutely ridiculous it is that the post office is giving themselves 
this kind of bonus and raise when they are losing money.
  So, Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would just like to say to my fellow 
colleagues in the United States House of Representatives that I hope my 
colleagues will support my nonbinding resolution so we can come to the 
floor of the House and speak on behalf of those small businesses and 
patrons of the United States Postal Service who are paying a whole lot 
in increases while the executives, who are losing money, up to $2 
billion, are giving themselves a bonus.
  As my colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Traficant), would say, 
shame on them and shame on us if we do not debate this on the floor of 
the House.

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