City Council Resolution
WHEREAS, The US Postal Service is a vital component of this country's economic and communications infrastructure handling and delivering 160 billion pieces of mail and generating more than $65 billion in revenues annually, while receiving no taxpayer funding; and
WHEREAS, The mailing industry, which employs 8 million Americans, generates over $1 trillion dollars annually, and represents approximately seven percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), depends on the US Postal Service's invaluable mail processing, retail and last-mile delivery networks 6 days a week; and
WHEREAS, The US Postal Service is the only private company or federal agency required by Congress to pre-fund future retiree health benefits for 75 years, requiring $5.5 billion dollars to be paid annually. In addition, the health benefits for postal retirees is fully funded with billions of dollars in excess, so there is no need to require a crippling $5.5 billion additional annual payment that is causing unnecessary service cuts; and
WHEREAS, The US Postal Service is the second largest employer of US Veterans in the country with over 22% of its employees United States Veterans; and
WHEREAS, Inner City and Rural communities, many of which do not have access to the Internet, remain dependent on the Postal Service for vital communications and for the shipment of goods; and
WHEREAS, Small businesses along with many Americans, particularly seniors, depend on the Postal Service for receipt of their prescription drugs; now
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, That the Mayor and the Chicago City Council urges US Senator Durbin and US Senator Kirk to support postal reform legislation that would: Secure the continuance of 6-day mail delivery; Stabilize the Postal Service's finances by reforming or eliminating future retiree health financing policies that are crippling the Postal Service's finances; Strengthen and protect the Postal Service's invaluable mail processing, retail and las...
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