[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14052]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  INTRODUCTION OF A RESOLUTION ``EXPRESSING THE SENSE THAT THE UNITED 
STATES POSTAL SERVICE SHALL TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE MEASURES TO ENSURE THE 
                CONTINUATION OF DOOR DELIVERY FOR ALL''

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. SUSAN A. DAVIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 1, 2014

  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a 
resolution of the House ``expressing the sense that the United States 
Postal Service shall take all appropriate measures to ensure the 
continuation of door delivery for all.''
  Many do not realize that the Post Office is already in the process of 
phasing out door delivery service, the heart of its customer 
experience.
  And that if some in Congress had their way it would be eliminated 
entirely!
  In my home state of California, residents in newly planned 
communities are already witnessing the end of traditional mail 
delivery.
  Instead, residents are being forced to resort to so-called cluster 
boxes--centralized curbside locations many of which are in unsecure 
locations and poorly maintained.
  Just last month local residents from a community meeting in my 
district adopted an official neighborhood resolution calling on 
Congress to address this pressing issue.
  I have heard stories from dozens of my constituents about cluster 
boxes being stolen or damaged and having to wait months to raise enough 
money to replace them.
  Americans have benefited from door delivery service ever since the 
time of the Civil War.
  But now some in Congress, in a short-sighted attempt to cut costs, 
are pushing through a radical overhaul of the Post Office without even 
considering the consequences.
  Studies have shown that in today's digital age it is people with 
disabilities and the elderly that rely most on postal mail more, 
especially for prescription medicine.
  Yes it is these very groups that would most be hurt by the sudden 
forced adoption of centralized cluster boxes.
  And businesses all across the country, especially startups will be 
forced to close up shop since there will be no way to guarantee the 
security of their delivery.
  All this just for short term cost cutting--which will do nothing to 
address the long term solvency of the Post Office.
  And we already know that nobody wants these changes. In 2013, USPS 
offered voluntary cluster box conversions to businesses and only .8 
percent signed up.
  What business could survive by constantly looking for ways to reduce 
customer satisfaction?
  Or by finding ways to devalue the very service, door delivery, it is 
known for?
  But that is what the proponents of such radical postal reform efforts 
have in mind.
  Furthermore, such changes will end the equal mail delivery system we 
have now for everyone.
  Forced adoption of cluster boxes and a ``delivery tax'', whereby only 
the wealthy will have access to door delivery, will create a two-tiered 
system breaking the fundamental unity that has always been central to 
the Post Office's mission.
  I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in 
supporting this effort to help preserve door delivery for all.

                          ____________________