United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2007-04-17 monographic deposited born digital 35 p. GA 1.13:GAO-07-684T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-684T P0b002ee1803a444e f:d07684t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-684T machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-684T GAO-07-684T Accountability Congressional oversight Cost control Federal agency reorganization Financial analysis Financial records Internal controls Postal rates Postal service Standards Strategic planning GAO High Risk Series Testimony A68344 When GAO originally placed the U.S. Postal Service's (the Service) transformation efforts and long-term outlook on its high-risk list in early 2001, it was to focus urgent attention on the Service's deteriorating financial situation. Aggressive action was needed, particularly in cutting costs, improving productivity, and enhancing financial transparency. GAO testified several times since 2001 that comprehensive postal reform legislation was needed to address the Service's unsustainable business model, which assumed that increasing mail volume would cover rising costs and mitigate rate increases. This outdated model limited its flexibility and incentives needed to realize sufficient cost savings to offset rising costs, declining First-Class Mail volumes, unfunded obligations, and an expanding delivery network. This limitation threatened the Service's ability to achieve its mission of providing affordable, high-quality universal postal services on a self-financing basis. This testimony will focus on (1) why GAO recently removed the Service's transformation efforts and outlook from GAO's high-risk list, (2) the Service's financial condition in fiscal year 2007, (3) the opportunities and challenges facing the Service, and (4) major issues and areas for congressional oversight. This testimony is based on GAO's past work, review of the postal reform law, and updated information on the Service's financial condition. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-684T/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-684T.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-684T/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-684T.pdf GAO-07-684T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-684T Testimony GAO-07-684T; U.S. Postal Service: Postal Reform Law Provides Opportunities to Address Postal Challenges; Accountability Congressional oversight Cost control Federal agency reorganization Financial analysis Financial records Internal controls Postal rates Postal service Standards Strategic planning GAO High Risk Series Public Law 108-18 Public Law 109-435