[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 9 (Tuesday, January 13, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S158]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING AMERICAN POSTAL WORKERS CHICAGO LOCAL 0001
Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. President, I rise today to commemorate the recent
250th anniversary of the U.S. Postal Service, USPS, and the 120th
anniversary of the American Postal Workers Union, APWU, Chicago Local
0001.
Our Nation's Postal Service, first established by the Second
Continental Congress on July 26, 1775, and later modernized by Congress
to become the U.S. Postal Service on July 1, 1971, was created to
connect individuals and communities across the country.
Today, USPS continues to serve communities and is relied on for its
ability to conduct last-mile deliveries that have rapidly increased in
the era of e-commerce. As USPS passes this incredible milestone, we
must ensure that USPS continues to grow by improving its on-time
performance, seeking new business to grow mail volumes, and investing
in the Postal Service's most valuable asset, its dedicated workforce.
In my home State of Illinois, APWU Chicago Local 0001 and other
unions began organizing to strengthen worker rights and protections
over 100 years ago, when labor protections barely existed. The
leadership, dedication, and great sacrifices made by APWU Chicago Local
0001 empowered postal workers to negotiate fairer wages, establish
safer workplaces, and secure far better health benefits. Simply put,
APWU Chicago Local 0001 has been instrumental in advancing postal
workers' rights, safety and dignity.
I ask my colleagues in the Senate to join me in commemorating the
USPS's 250th Anniversary and commending and thanking the dedicated
postal workers--past and present--of APWU Chicago Local 0001, who have
served their fellow APWU sisters and brothers over the past 120 years,
and helped connect communities throughout Illinois and across our great
Nation.
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