Senate Approves Changes to the US Postal Service

News media around the country are reporting that the Senate has passed legislation designed to help the struggling U.S. Postal Service cut costs and raise revenue.

Nicole Gaudian, Gannet Washington Bureau, writes on DelawareOnLine.com, "The bill, co-authored by Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., passed 62-37. It would give the service access to $11 billion it overpaid into a pension fund. Postal officials would use the money to offer buyouts or retirement incentives with the goal of reducing their workforce by at least 100,000."

She goes on to say, "The Senate bill also would maintain, for three years, overnight delivery of first-class mail and periodicals going short distances, which would spare at least 100 processing facilities from closing. And it would prevent the Postal Service from eliminating Saturday mail for at least two years."

The bill would also allow USPS to sell non-postal products and to ship beer and wine.

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