[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 124 (Friday, September 21, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S9610]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               POSTAL SERVICE SORTING PRACTICES IN HAWAII

  Mr. DORGAN. I understand that as a result of the closure of our 
nation's airports and the limitations placed on the carriage of cargo 
on commercial passenger planes, postal service throughout our country 
was affected. However, the State of Hawaii was impacted most severely. 
My colleague from Hawaii, Senator Inouye, has joined me to discuss the 
situation in Hawaii.
  Mr. INOUYE. I thank Senator Dorgan for the opportunity to share with 
our colleagues the impact of the air service restrictions on the 
delivery of mail in the State of Hawaii. The recent closure of our 
Nation's air transportation system brought to light a Postal Service 
practice that I believe should be reevaluated. Hawaii is an island 
State that is not only geographically isolated from the mainland United 
States, but that is also geographically divided into seven distinct 
islands separated by the Pacific Ocean. Hawaii has a population 
dependent on the air transportation system for the movement of goods 
and people throughout the State. However, I believe the current Postal 
Service mail sorting procedure has the potential to exacerbate the harm 
to my State's economy from the airport closures, the reduced inter-
island travel, and the decline in travel to and from my State.
  The Postal Service in Hawaii has only one centralized sorting office. 
While I understand that mail service throughout the United States 
experienced slow-downs and difficulties as a result of the closure of 
our air transportation system, mail service in Hawaii came to a virtual 
standstill. The shut down of our airports resulted in the delivery of 
mail only on the island of Oahu, where the sorting station is located. 
My constituents on Maui could not mail letters to one another because a 
letter originating on Maui and addressed to another location on Maui 
must first be flown to Honolulu for sorting. This hardship was faced by 
all the residents of Oahu's neighbor islands.
  With the threat of war upon us and the possibility of further airport 
closures, I believe we must study alternatives to the current mail 
sorting system. The problems faced by the neighbor islands as a result 
of the airport shutdown are expected to continue as tourism to and 
within Hawaii declines. Aloha Airlines, one of two island air carriers, 
has announced a 26-percent reduction in flights that will begin next 
week. Hawaiian Airlines, the other inter-island air carrier has also 
dramatically reduced its flight schedule. Additional flights will 
likely be eliminated with the expected continued decline in leisure and 
business travel.
  In light of these flight restrictions, I believe the Postal Service 
should develop a procedure by which mail that originates on the same 
island to which it is addressed can be kept and sorted on that island. 
I realize that this would be only a small step toward addressing the 
many issues resulting from my State's unique geography, but it would be 
a start.
  Mr. Dorgan. I thank Senator Inouye for sharing with us the 
difficulties faced by your State. I agree that the Postal Service 
should examine the feasibility of implementing procedures that take 
into account Hawaii's unique geography. Please be assured that I will 
work with the Senator to help in this endeavor.

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