[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15745]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      STOP DELAYING AMERICA'S MAIL

  (Mr. HIGGINS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to stand with the American 
Postal Workers in Buffalo, New York, and across the country who today 
rally to send a message: Stop delaying America's mail.
  Since 2012, 141 mail processing plants have closed. Eighty-two more 
across 37 States are scheduled to either close or be consolidated 
beginning in January.
  The erosion of service standards is not only bad for customers, U.S. 
businesses, and hardworking postal workers, but it represents a huge 
step backward in an increasingly competitive delivery industry.
  Today the Postal Service Board of Governors holds their last public 
meeting of 2014. I urge them to reverse course and maintain service 
standards that uphold the trademark reputation of the United States 
Postal Service.
  I also urge the House to bring H.R. 630, the Postal Service 
Protection Act, to the floor for a vote. This legislation removes the 
pension pre-fund obligation, provides for the expansion of shipping 
operations and the lease of surplus facility space while maintaining 
Saturday delivery.

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