[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 109 (Thursday, June 27, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E861]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           KEEP MAIL SAFE ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GRACE MENG

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 27, 2019

  Ms. MENG. Madam Speaker, I rise to bring attention the growing mail 
theft crime in the United States that is known as mail fishing. Mail 
fishing is the process in which thieves ``fish'' mail out of blue 
collection boxes. Specifically, criminals use a contraption as simple 
as a string connected to a sticky substance to ``fish'' out envelopes 
from these mailboxes, then open the letters to steal people's personal 
information such as bank, credit card, and Social Security numbers. 
Tragically, this has resulted in many incidents of identity theft and 
bank fraud.
  In the last year alone, there were 3,000 incidents of mail fishing in 
New York City. These criminals also engage in check washing to rewrite 
the name of the payee and/or the amount. Many of my constituents became 
victims of bank fraud, some losing thousands of dollars, as a result of 
having their mail fished. That is why, in 2017, I made the push to have 
the United States Postal Service retrofit all standard mail collection 
boxes in Queens, NY. Currently, 77 percent of these mailboxes in Queens 
have been retrofitted. As a result, mail fishing crimes have 
significantly decreased in Queens. However, as only some mail 
collection boxes are retrofitted, mail fishing crime shifts to regions 
without this security feature.
  Madam Speaker, it is unacceptable that our constituents cannot safely 
leave their mail in the United States Postal Service mail collection 
boxes.
  This is why I am introducing the ``Keep Mail Safe Act''. This bill 
would require the Postmaster General to conduct a study on retrofitting 
all standard mail collection boxes in the United States with narrow 
mail slots. Retrofitting all mail boxes would deter and prevent 
incidents of mail fishing, ensure the security of our constituents' 
mail, and restore their trust in utilizing the United States Postal 
Service.
  As mail fishing incidents are on the rise, our diligence in 
protecting our constituent's mail is more important than ever. I urge 
my colleagues to support this legislation and join me in the fight 
against mail fishing.

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