[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 43 (Thursday, March 10, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1082-S1083]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       POSTAL SERVICE REFORM ACT

  Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, on Tuesday night, the Senate took a 
significant and historic vote to strengthen one of our Nation's oldest 
and most trusted institutions--the U.S. Postal Service.
  For the past 15 years, this vital service that delivers to every 
single community in our country, no matter how remote, has faced 
unfair, burdensome requirements that have jeopardized its financial 
stability and its ability to provide reliable and timely delivery to 
Americans all across our country.
  With 79 votes for the Postal Service Reform Act--one of the strongest 
bipartisan votes the Senate has delivered during this Congress--we 
passed significant reforms that will set the Postal Service on a more 
stable financial footing, preserve mail delivery for 6 days a week, and 
ensure greater transparency of delivery performance for the people who 
are counting on the Postal Service to bring them critical mail.
  When our Nation's Founders enshrined the Postal Service in our 
Constitution, they could have never envisioned what a vital role this 
institution would play in the daily lives of Americans. Whether it is 
families who are receiving critical medications or connecting with 
loved ones, veterans and seniors who are relying on the mail for 
benefits and Social Security checks, or small businesses that are 
sending important financial documents and their products to customers, 
Americans are counting on the Postal Service to deliver. Over the past 
few years--especially during COVID-19--we have seen just how essential 
the Postal Service is to keeping our country connected.

[[Page S1083]]

  The legislation that we passed earlier this week with overwhelming 
bipartisan support will help ensure that the Postal Service can 
continue its vital mission, and I am looking forward to seeing 
President Biden sign it into law.
  I am proud of our bipartisan efforts to protect this vital public 
service, and I would like to take just a few moments to thank the many 
people who made this possible.
  First, I want to recognize my Senate colleague on this effort, 
Senator Rob Portman, who is the ranking member of the Homeland Security 
and Governmental Affairs Committee.
  I am also grateful to Chairwoman Maloney and Ranking Member Comer on 
the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, who worked with me hand in 
hand, as well as with Senator Portman, to write and to build key 
support for this legislation.
  Senator Carper, who is a former chairman of Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs and a stalwart advocate for the Postal Service, 
was an absolutely indispensable resource, a critical voice, and we 
worked together to advance this bill.
  I would also like to recognize each of our Senate cosponsors: 
Senators Tillis, Sinema, and Burr, Chairman Wyden of the Senate Finance 
Committee, Senators Collins, Hassan, Daines, Rosen, Capito, Padilla, 
Sullivan, Manchin, Hawley, Schatz, Blunt, Rounds, Smith, Cramer, Reed, 
Murkowski, Chairman Sanders of the Budget Committee, and Senators 
Hoeven, Tester, Moran, and Kaine.
  Key stakeholders like the Postal Service, our postal employee unions, 
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, and the countless members of the public 
who spoke out about what timely service meant to them also played an 
essential role in providing technical assistance and building support 
in passing this legislation.
  But none of these vital reforms to protect this longstanding public 
service would have been possible without the dedicated and tireless 
work of congressional staff.
  First, I would like to recognize my staff on the Homeland Security 
and Governmental Affairs Committee, who worked tirelessly to ensure 
this bill received bipartisan and bicameral support, as well as 
stakeholder support.
  Thank you to Annika Christensen, Lena Chang, and Victoria Pleasant 
for your determined efforts to craft and build support for this 
consensus reform.
  I would also like to thank Senator Portman's staff, Pam Theissen, 
Andy Dockham, Amanda Neely, and Renee Sheehy, who all played an 
important role in crafting and passing these reforms.
  On the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Mark Stephenson and 
Ethan Van Ness on Chairwoman Maloney's staff, as well as Christian 
Hoehner, Jake Greenberg, Daniel Ashworth, and Bill Womack on Ranking 
Member Comer's staff, provided valuable counsel and expertise on the 
legislation.
  Senate Finance Committee Chairman Wyden's staff, Eva Dugoff and Sam 
Conchuratt, and Ranking Member Crapo's staff, Erin Dempsey, offered 
vital assistance to ensure the Medicare integration proposal worked 
effectively.
  House Ways and Means Committee staff Kathryn Olson, T.J. Sutcliffe, 
and Elisa Walker all provided critical technical assistance.
  Leader Schumer's staff provided vital expertise and guidance 
throughout the entire process and especially over the past few weeks as 
we prepared to pass this bill on the floor.
  Finally, Jackie Maffucci from Senator Carper's office and Erin Bursch 
and Erin Schulte from Senator Sinema's office spent countless hours 
helping to craft and secure robust support for the bill.
  These folks, along with countless others, ensured that the Postal 
Service would be able to keep delivering for the American people.
  In recent years, it has been a rare occasion when the Senate comes 
together to pass this kind of bipartisan, consensus legislation with 
such overwhelming support to address a very, very real problem. I am 
grateful to every person who played a role in raising awareness--
working on this legislation--and getting it passed by both the House 
and the Senate.
  Once signed into law, this groundbreaking, bipartisan bill will help 
ensure that the Postal Service can continue its nearly 250-year 
tradition of providing delivery to every American.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. King). The Senator from Texas.

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