U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin has introduced a resolution urging the U.S. Postal Service to preserve six-day mail delivery.
The resolution, S. RES 71, was referred to the Committee on Government Reform, which oversees the postal service. This type of resolution is nonbinding.
Earlier this month, the USPS' Board of Governors said it would study a reduction in mail delivery as well as a consolidation of facilities. No day was specified for the reduction, but most think it would likely be Saturday. The USPS cannot discontinue six-day delivery without congressional approval.
In the resolution, the Iowa Democrat said six-day mail delivery is an essential service that U.S. residents have relied on since 1912. He said it is important for the USPS to continue delivering mail six days a week because Social Security checks, the only source of income for many senior citizens, arrive mostly by mail and any delays would be a hardship.
He also said that ending Saturday delivery would result in inevitable delays in mail delivery and an increase in costs for employee overtime to handle the backup of mail.
