[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 30, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E776]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HOUSE ESTABLISHING A LETTER CARRIERS APPRECIATION DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 29, 2008

  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 49, which 
expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that there should 
be established a National Letter Carriers Appreciation Day.
  In 1775, Members of the Second Continental Congress established the 
Post Office Department, the predecessor of the Postal Service and the 
second oldest Federal department or agency in the United States. For 
the past two centuries, the United States Postal Service has evolved 
and changed as the United States has grown. Today, the Postal Service 
delivers hundreds of millions of messages each day to more than 141 
million homes and businesses. Behind the delivery of each of these 
letters is the hard work and dedication of a letter carrier.
  Letter carriers deliver more than 43 tons of mail per year, which 
averages out to about 2,300 letters, cards, and circulars per carrier 
per day. Six days a week, rain or shine, hurricane or blizzard, our 
Nation's 705,000 carrier letter carriers and 98,000 non-carrier 
employees faithfully contribute to our economic strength and vitality 
through their timely and efficient delivery of mail.
  I have spent hours walking mail routes with the letter carriers in 
New Jersey. I have seen first hand how dedicated postal employees are 
to ensuring the timely and safe delivery of mail and tying together our 
local communities. These letter carriers should be applauded for their 
service to all Americans.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support H. Res. 49 and acknowledge the 
hard work and dedication of the letter carriers in your congressional 
district.

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