Udall Applauds USPS Decision to Continue Saturday Delivery

WASHINGTON - Today U.S. Senator Tom Udall commended the U.S. Postal Service's (USPS) announcement that it will not go through with plans to eliminate Saturday delivery. USPS' decision comes in response to congressional protest and legislative action by Udall and others to ban a reduction in services.

"The continuation of Saturday delivery is a win for the countless Americans who rely on mail services," said Udall. "The Postal Service is facing serious financial problems, but they will not be solved by cutting the essential services that the business community, the elderly and rural residents depend on."

On February 15, Udall led a group of 24 other senators in challenging the postmaster general's authority to discontinue Saturday mail delivery later this year without congressional approval. In the letter, the senators acknowledged the financial challenges the Postal Service is facing and urged him to work with Congress to address these problems through bipartisan reform, such as the Senate legislation passed last year.

They also pointed out that a shift to five-day service could lead to further declines in mail volume and revenues, worsening the U.S. Postal Service's overall condition.

In 2012, Udall introduced an amendment to the 21st Century Postal Service Act of 2012 that would protect the Postal Service's six-day service.