TV: U.S. Postal Service in danger of running out of money
WASHINGTON (WCMH) — The coronavirus pandemic could mean the post office might be out of money by this summer, according to some members of the postal workers union and they say it’s up to Congress to fix it. But there’s not a huge rush to make that happen in Washington, especiall from President Trump.
For a postal service already strapped for cash, the coronavirus has made things even worse.
“What’s happening is basically mail revenue is going to drop by about 50 percent,” said Mark Dimondstein, president of the American Postal Workers Union. “Without relief from Congress, literally the post office sometime between July or September … will run out of money.”
Ohio Democratic Representative Tim Ryan says millions of Americans won’t get what they need if the postal service fails.
“We know that the post office goes places that UPS and Federal Express don’t go,” Ryan said. “They go to neighborhoods they don’t go to, they go to rural areas and deliver medication.”
President Trump has made it clear he thinks the postal service is poorly run and has threatened to turn part or all of it over to private business.
“I think if additional aid is forthcoming for the postal service, we really need to have policy reforms enacted,” said Kevin Kosar, a postal policy expert with the R Street Institute.
Indiana Republican Senator Mike Braun agrees the postal service needs to reform if wants Congress to help it survive.
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“I’m sure it, along with many others that have now shown up as being particularly hard hit, will be in the discussion once we get back,” Braun said.
Postal union leader Dimonstein says the clock is ticking, and Congress needs to act now.
“If they’re going to give grants all over the place, on the private sector $500 billion, how can you not take care of the public postal service?” Dimonstein asked.
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