Postal worker groups push back on USPS recommendations

In recent weeks and months, the Postal Service has also proposed closing up to 3,700 local branches and stopping payment into a federal retirement program, moves that Louis Atkins of the National Association of Postal Supervisors calls “self-destructive and premature” in his prepared Tuesday testimony.

“They will cause the irreversible decline of the Postal Service and the quality of its service, eliminate thousands of jobs at great cost to the economy and wreak havoc on communities across America,” Atkins adds.

Atkins and Guffey do agree with Donahoe that Congress needs to take swift action to help USPS, and support examinations into how much the service may have overpaid into federal retirement programs. The two men also do not believe USPS should have to pay the $5.5 billion healthcare payment.

Still, Donahoe says even more needs to be done to get the service back on sound financial footing. Meanwhile, four bills that have been introduced in Congress — from Sen. Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsSenate GOP signal they won't filibuster debate of hate crimes bill Democrats work to pick up GOP support on anti-Asian hate crimes bill Against mounting odds, Biden seeks GOP support for infrastructure plan MORE (R-Maine), Sen. Tom CarperThomas (Tom) Richard CarperFive reasons why US faces chronic crisis at border Appeals court agrees to pause lawsuit over Trump-era emissions rule Five things to watch on Biden infrastructure plan MORE (D-Del.), Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) — all have at least somewhat different takes on the best path forward for the Postal Service.