Congressman Wm. 'Lacy' Clay, Jr. - Speech - Address to the National Association of Letter Carriers

Speech

June 2, 2005

Address to the National Association
of Letter Carriers, St. Louis

Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay

GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE AND THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO BE HERE.

AS YOU ALL KNOW, BUILDING A BETTER POSTAL SYSTEM HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF MY TOP LONG-TERM PRIORITIES IN CONGRESS.

AND AS A MEMBER OF THE GOVERNMENT REFORM COMMITTEE, I’M CONVINCED THAT IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THAT OBJECTIVE, WE NEED TWO ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS….

DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO IMPROVE SERVICE FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS;

AND, PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF THE HARD-WORKING PEOPLE WHO MAKE THE POSTAL SYSTEM WORK.

OF COURSE, I WAS VERY BLESSED TO HAVE A MASTER INSTRUCTOR ON THIS ISSUE, MY FATHER, FORMER CONGRESSMAN BILL CLAY, WHO SPENT 32 YEARS FIGHTING TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS IN CONGRESS.

I’M PLEASED TO CARRY ON THAT TRADITION AND TO HAVE THE OPPPORTUNITY TO PERSONALLY REPRESENT SO MANY OF YOU.

IN FACT, ACCORDING TO THE LATEST STATISTICS FROM THE USPS,

I HAVE THE HONOR OF REPRESENTING THREE THOUSAND, THREE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY SEVEN POSTAL SERVICE EMPLOYEES WHO LIVE IN THE FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.

TOGETHER, YOU EARN OVER ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS IN ANNUAL PAYROLL;

AND YOU PAY ALMOST TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS IN FEDERAL INCOME TAXES.

SO POSTAL EMPLOYEES REPRESENT AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR COMMUNITY’S ECONOMIC BASE AND THAT’S WHY I’M SO CONCERNED ABOUT PROTECTING YOUR INTERESTS.

AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR, THE GOVERNMENT REFORM COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY PASSED AN EXCELLENT POSTAL REFORM PACKAGE.

IT DID A GOOD JOB OF ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF CUSTOMERS, POSTAL WORKERS, LETTER CARRIERS, POSTMASTERS AND DIRECT MAIL PROVIDERS.

OF COURSE, THAT WASN’T GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE PRESIDENT, AND THE ADMINISTRATION KEPT THE BILL FROM BECOMING LAW.

MY GUESS IS THAT SOME OF HIS CLOSE FRIENDS WANTED US TO PRIVATIZE PARTS OF THE SYSTEM, JUST LIKE SOCIAL SECURITY.

BOTH OF THOSE IDEAS ARE ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE AND THEY ARE GOING TO END UP DEAD ON ARRIVAL.

SO THIS YEAR, I CO-SPONORED H.R.22., THE POSTAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND ENHANCEMENT ACT;

WHICH IS IDENTICAL TO LAST YEAR’S BILL THAT THE WHITE HOUSE KILLED.

IT’S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A BI-PARTISAN EFFORT.

H.R. 22 DOES A GOOD JOB OF DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN COMPETITIVE AND NON-COMPETITIVE POSTAL SERVICES.

IT GIVES THE POSTAL SYSTEM SUBSTANTIAL PRICING FLEXIBILITY OVER THE COMPETITIVE SERVICES;

AND IT IMPROVES FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY TO MAKE THE SYSTEM MORE ACCOUNTABLE TO CUSTOMERS, COMPETITORS, EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES.

SO I HOPE THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THE CONGRESS WILL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS KEY ISSUES LIKE ELIMINATING THE ESCROW ACCOUNT;

REVERSING THE CURRENT POLICY ON POSTAL RETIREMENT COSTS FOR MILITARY SERVICE;

LIMITING THE SIZE OF RATE INCREASES;

ADDRESSING THE FATE OF SINGLE PIECE PARCELS;

AND PROTECTING YOUR HEALTH AND RETIREMENT BENEFITS.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE CORE OF THE ENTIRE PROCESS OF POSTAL REFORM, THERE ARE TWO CRITICAL ISSUES THAT SHOULD BE NON-NEGOTIABLE;

PROTECTING COLLECTVE BARGAININF RIGHTS FOR POSTAL EMPLOYEES;

AND PRESERVING UNIVERSAL SERVICE FOR ALL AMERICANS.

THE EXISTING POSTAL COLLECTIVE BARGAINING SYSTEM IS A MAJOR SUCCESS STORY.

OVER THE LAST THIRTY YEARS, ALL OF THE MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS IN THE POSTAL SYSTEM HAVE ENJOYED THE BENEFITS OF IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY, BETTER SERVICE, AND STABLE RATES…WITH INCREASES THAT WERE LESS THAN THE RATE OF INFLATION.

US TAXPAYERS HAVE SAVED BILLIONS OF DOLLARS BY ELIMINATING SUBSIDIES.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, POSTAL EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN THEIR STANDARD OF LIVING.

IF THE PRESIDENT AND HIS COMMISSION HAD THEIR WAY,

I’M SURE THAT THEY WOULD TRY TO CAP WAGES, REDUCE BENEFITS AND THEN USE PRIVATIZATION TO CANABALIZE THE SYSTEM.

BUT THAT’S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

ALMOST EVERY DEMOCRAT AND MOST REASONABLE REPUBLICANS UNDERSTAND THAT WHILE WE NEED A POSTAL REFORM PACKAGE;

WE CANNOT DESTROY THE FOUNDATION THAT HAS ALLOWED THE UNITED STATES TO BUILD THE MOST EFFICIENT, MOST TRUSTED, AND HIGHEST QUALITY POSTAL SYSTEM IN THE WORLD.
AND THE BIGGEST REASON FOR THE CONTINUING SUCCESS OF THE POSTAL SYSTEM, ARE THE HARD- WORKING PEOPLE WHO YOU REPRESENT.

I HAVE ALWAYS APPRECIATED YOUR GUIDANCE AND CONSTRUCTIVE SUGGESTIONS AS WE WORK THROUGH THIS PROCESS, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT YOUR CONCERNS.

AND LASTLY, I WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP AND SUPPORT OVER THE YEARS.

I NEVER TAKE IT FOR GRANTED, AND I WILL ALWAYS DO MY BEST TO PROTECT WHAT REALLY MATTERS TO YOU.

THANK YOU.

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