[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 157 (Wednesday, November 14, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2079]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENSE OF CONGRESS THAT MEN AND WOMEN OF UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE 
HAVE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB OF DELIVERING THE MAIL DURING THIS TIME OF 
                           NATIONAL EMERGENCY

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 13, 2001

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I stand today to honor the nearly 
800,000 postal employees (including 49,000 employees with disabilities 
and 251,000 veterans) who faithfully serve this nation by: delivering 
200 billion pieces of mail each year to 134 million addresses, 
including 20 million post office boxes; carrying more mail to more 
people over a larger geographic area than any other country; serving 7 
million customers daily at one of 38,000 postal retail outlets; 
collecting mail from more than 312,000 street mail collection boxes; 
and as individual carriers, delivering about 2,300 pieces of mail a day 
to 500 addresses.
  Postal employees carry out these duties despite adverse environmental 
and weather conditions, including difficult terrain, extreme heat, 
rain, sleet and cold. They now face a different kind of adverse 
condition--a war. Our war on terrorism has placed postal workers at the 
front lines of a battle against those who seek to harm our nation's 
citizens by contaminating a valuable and critical component of our 
society's way of life--the mail. This is not a duty they signed up for, 
but it is one that they have faced, accepted and carried out with 
grace, dignity and fortitude!
  Despite the tragic terrorism perpetrated on our soil and the deaths 
of two of their colleagues, postal employees have delivered about 34 
billion pieces of mail since September 11 in the face of a continued 
threat to their health and lives.
  Recently, I met with postal workers from my district. They are proud 
to work for the postal service, but are concerned for their safety. 
They assured me that neither rain, snow, nor anthrax laced letters 
would keep them from delivering the mail. However, with that renewed 
pledge and resolve, they wanted my assurance that the government cared 
about them.
  H. Con. Res. 257 provides this body with the opportunity to thank 
them for their resolve and all they have done to keep the mail flowing. 
The men and women of the U.S. Postal Service have done an outstanding 
job of delivering the mail during this time of national emergency. 
Further, I believe that is our duty to assure their safety and well-
being as they continue to carry out their duties and responsibilities. 
As such, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, our postal workers 
and our U.S. mail system!

                          ____________________