In Comments to the Postal Regulatory Commission, Keep US Posted Urges Increased Scrutiny & Better Consumer Protection
(WASHINGTON, D.C.—July 28, 2022)— As stamps increase yet again with additional rate hikes planned in the coming months, Keep US Posted, an alliance consisting of consumer interests, industry groups, newspapers, nonprofits and businesses, is calling on USPS regulators to take action.
The Postal Regulatory Commission is accepting comments in response to concerns from Congress about the multiple postage hikes planned in Louis DeJoy’s “Delivering for America” plan.” In its comments, Keep US Posted urged the Postal Regulatory Commission to fulfill its role as a watchdog for the public, rather than allow unnecessary postage rate increases to keep happening. The organization points out that several factors, including the new postal reform law (The Postal Service Reform Act), have changed the financial outlook for USPS and demand that the Postal Regulatory Commission review DeJoy’s proposed rate increases again.
“The Postal Regulatory Commission has been reluctant to engage in activities beyond the specific direction of Congress. That is not how the system should operate,” wrote Keep US Posted Executive Director Kevin Yoder, a former Republication congressman from Kansas. “Other regulatory bodies have effectively utilized the authority provided by Congress to achieve their mandate. For instance, the Environmental Protection Agency aggressively acts to prevent pollution. The Securities and Exchange Commission is active in preventing bank fraud. If anything, these agencies have at times been accused of being too aggressive in enforcing their authority. Yet in recent years the PRC has been far more deferential to the entity it was created to constrain, rather than protective of the public it was created to serve.”
“We believe the House report which prompted the current comment period identifies many significant issues that are before the Commission. As noted in the House report, Congress enacted the Postal Service Reform Act (PSRA; Public Law No: 117-108), which profoundly improves the USPS’s financial condition. These changes should prompt a new on-the-record review of rate caps for Market Dominant mail.”
To read the comments in full, visit https://a7e48fd9-ebbb-4ed4-a00c-560567a5d282.usrfiles.com/ugd/a7e48f_1e592ab7c2244f1db7b0db2dd2cfcc32.pdf.
ABOUT KEEP US POSTED
Keep US Posted is a campaign consisting of consumer interests, members of the public, news media organizations, industry groups and businesses—all united in the belief that a reliable, affordable U.S. Postal Service is essential to our way of life and should be protected. Keep US Posted supports alternatives to current and future efforts to slow the mail and increase postage rates. To learn more about the campaign and get involved, visit www.KeepUSPosted.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Beth Dozier – beth@revelcommunications.com | 919.602.4478 (m)
