60 House Bills to Name Post Offices, Zero To Fix Mail Service

ABC News reports, "In the 18 months the 112th Congress has been sworn in, the House has introduced 60 bills to rename post offices. Thirty-eight have passed the House and 26 have become law. During those 18 months, the House has produced 151 laws, 17 percent of which have been to rename post offices, according to Congressional Democrats."

Reporter Amy Bingham writes, "Not a single bill has come to the House floor aimed at reforming a Postal Service, which is bleeding billions of dollars because of Congressional mandates."

Bingham goes on to pen, "Today the United States Postal Service will default on a Congressional mandate to pay $5.5 billion to “prefund” health benefits for future retirees. On Friday, the House of Representatives will leave town for a five-week summer vacation. There is no plan to take up postal reform before that summer recess."

"So far this year, almost 50 bills to rename post offices have been introduced," writes Bingham. "Three of those bills have made it to the president’s desk, representing a full 13 percent of all legislation signed by President Obama this year. Throughout the previous legislative session, the 111^th Congress introduced 427 bills to name post offices and passed more than 70 of them."

Shown above, plaque honoring First Lieutenant Oliver Goodall after whom Pasadena, California's main post office was renamed earlier this year. Lt. Goodall was a member of the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II and worked as a postal service employee after the war.

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