The Subcommittee on Government Operations recently conducted a hearing titled "The Route Forward for the U.S. Postal Service: A View from Stakeholders," focusing on the challenges and future strategies for the United States Postal Service (USPS). Both Republican and Democratic members of the committee acknowledged that while former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy implemented a long-term strategy, USPS continues to face significant financial losses and service issues.
During the hearing, Elena Patel, an Assistant Professor at the University of Utah, highlighted the historical importance of USPS, stating its mission is to provide "reliable, affordable, and universal service." Despite this mission, stakeholders noted USPS's ongoing financial difficulties. Thomas A. Schatz from Citizens Against Government Waste pointed out that since 2009, USPS has been listed as high-risk by the Government Accountability Office due to its unsustainable business model.
Paul Steidler from Lexington Institute warned that USPS might run out of cash before 2028 unless significant changes are made. He criticized DeJoy's infrastructure plan as ineffective. Jim Cochrane of Package Shippers Association suggested incorporating public-private partnerships to enhance service quality.
Michael Plunkett from the Association for Postal Commerce expressed optimism about USPS's future but emphasized collaboration among Congress, postal stakeholders, and executive leadership.
Subcommittee Chairman Pete Sessions questioned staffing efficiency within USPS operations. Steidler responded with data indicating a decline in labor productivity despite increased staffing levels.
James Comer, Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, stressed the need for USPS to achieve financial self-sufficiency without taxpayer support. He called for greater efficiency within USPS operations.
Representative Virginia Foxx discussed leveraging public-private partnerships to improve mail delivery efficiency. Cochrane supported this approach as beneficial for increasing overall postal system efficiency.
The hearing underscored bipartisan commitment to addressing these issues and ensuring that USPS operates effectively in line with modern business practices.
