Pre-hearing Questionnaire
for John Walsh to be Governor 
of the United States Postal Service 

I.  Nomination Process and Conflicts of Interest 

1.         Why do you believe the President nominated you to serve as a Governor of the United States Postal Service (USPS)? 

I communicated through Senator Dodd my desire to serve in the administration due to my retirement from the public and private sector.

2.         Were any conditions, expressed or implied, attached to your nomination?  If so, please explain. 

None 

3.         What specific background and experience affirmatively qualifies you to be a Governor
            of the USPS? 

I feel that I am qualified to serve on the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service because of my many years in government and private industry.  My knowledge of contracts, insurance, and negotiations, as well as other areas of government and business will enable me to better serve The Postal Service in all capacities. 

4.         Have you made any commitments with respect to the policies and principles you will attempt to implement as a Governor?  If so, what are they and to whom have the commitments been made? 

No 

5.         If confirmed, are there any issues from which you may have to recuse or disqualify yourself because of a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest?  If so, please explain what procedures you will use to carry out such a recusal or disqualification. 

No

II.   Role and Responsibilities of Governor  

1.                  How do you view the role of a Governor of the Postal Service?  What would you highlight from your experience that will enhance your effectiveness in this role?  

My role of a Governor of the Postal Service would be one of active participation, involvement, and cooperation with fellow board members to better serve the United States Postal Service.  My knowledge of procurement, contracts, insurance, and negotiations as well as other areas of government and business along with my strong leadership and effective decision-making abilitieswill enhance my effectiveness in this role. 

1.        What main challenges does the Postal Service face as it enters a new millennium?  How should the Board of Governors work with postal management to address  these challenges? How will you, as a Governor, address these challenges and what will your top priorities be? 

The Postal Service faces the main challenge of improving service to the public as it enters a new millennium.  The Board of Governors should be cooperative, concerned and interested as they work with postal management to address their goals to meet the challengse of a new millennium.  As a Governor I will address these challenges by being an active and cooperative member of the board in all matters.  My top priorities will be as an. active participant in matters of procurement, contracts, insurance, and negotiations as well as other areas of government and business where I feel my expertise would be beneficial. 

3.         How do you plan to communicate to Congress on efforts to address USPS issues? 

My plan of communication to Congress on efforts to address USPS issues would be through the proper channels as determined by the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service. 

4.         How do you plan to communicate to USPS staff on efforts to address USPS issues? 

My plan of communication to USPS staff on efforts to address USPS issues would be through the proper channels as determined by the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service. 

 

III.   Policy Issues

1.                  Although in recent years the Postal Service has made over $5 billion in net revenues, some anticipate that this strong performance may not be sustained due to increased competition.  What approach should the Postal Service take to maintain its viability and competitiveness? 

The Postal Service in order to maintain its viability should be goal oriented to achieve excellent service in all areas.  The competitiveness of the Postal Service would be to maintain rates and services that would be well received by the public it serves. 

2.                  Several Board members have expressed concern that the current ratemaking process is too restrictive and limits the Postal Service’s ability to quickly adjust postage rates in a highly competitive and changing marketplace.  Do you have any thoughts on this issue? 

I would have to listen to further discussion of the current ratemaking process by members of the Board of Governors before I could properly discuss this matter. 

3.                  Questions have been raised about the need for the recent rate increase given the Postal Service’s record profits.  What are your views with respect to the need and timing of rate increases?  

I believe that the need and timing of the rate increase was carefully thought out and discussed by all members of the Board of Governors before implementation.        

4.                  Some concerns have been raised about whether it is appropriate for the Postal Service to offer certain new products and services.  What are your views regarding whether it is appropriate for the Postal Service to offer products and services that compete with private sector companies? 

The Postal Service should offer services and products that will benefit and be attractive to the general public. 

5.                  A major issue frequently raised by our constituents relates to the Postal Service’s decisions on locating, relocating, or closing post offices.  Some are concerned that the Postal Service does not adequately involve affected communities in the decisionmaking process.  What are your views on this issue? 

Communities should be made aware of any changes regarding locating, relocating, or closing post offices in their area, but the decision making process should remain with the Postal Service. 

6.                  Another major postal issue has been the need to improve labor-management relations within the Postal Service.  What can the Board of Governors do to encourage and facilitate greater cooperation between postal management and labor unions?

Not being a member of the Board of Governors and not knowing their policy and procedures in this matter, I can only say that in order to encourage and facilitate greater cooperation between postal management and labor unions there must be a spirit of cooperation, honesty and integrity in all labor management relations. 

7.                  What are your views on the extent to which fundamental reform is needed in the laws and regulations that govern the Postal Service?  In what areas of postal operations do you believe such reform may be needed? 

Not being a member of the Board of Governors of the Postal Service, I do not feel qualified to answer this question. 

8.                  The Postal Service is required to annually report to Congress on its plans and performance related to its major goals.  This information is vital to congressional oversight.  However, some concerns have been raised about the integrity of some of the data used to measure performance.  For example, in West Virginia last year postal employees were found to have undermined the integrity of the data on overnight deliveries.  What can the Board of Governors do to help ensure the integrity of performance data? 

This is a problem that the Post Master General must address to insure the integrity of all reports to congress.  The Board of Governors should be supportive in all policy and procedures that will help the Post Master General to insure the integrity of all reports to Congress.  

9.                  Recently, some foreign postal administrations, such as the one in Germany, have been acquiring interests in private sector delivery firms in other countries including the U.S.  As you know the Postal Service is prohibited from engaging in similar arrangements.  Some have suggested that if the U.S. Postal Service is to remain competitive in the global marketplace, Congress should remove such prohibitions. What are you views with regard to this suggestion? 

The suggestion that Congress should remove prohibitions if the U.S. Postal Service is to remain competitive in the Global Marketplace should be studied, discussed and evaluated by the Board of Governors of the U.S. Postal Service.  I have not been privy to this information and study therefore I do not feel qualified to answer this question. 

10.              Concerns have been raised regarding diversity within the Postal Service particularly in the composition of top executives and in contracting practices.  What role do you see for the Board of Governors in addressing these concerns?

The role of the Board of Governors in addressing the concerns of the composition of top executives and in contracting practices would be to analyze and review what is now in place and then to make a decision and recommendation based on the information gathered. 

11.              Another major issue has been violence in the Postal Service.  How can the Board of Governors support efforts to mitigate this problem?

 The Board of Governors must support efforts to mitigate this problem by working closely with not only the National Security of the Post Office, but with Federal, State and Local authorities.

12.              While the Postal Service has invested heavily in automating mail processing, labor costs continue to consume about 80% of total expenses.  To what extent do you believe it is possible for the Postal Service to achieve its goal of substituting capital for labor? 

I would have to study the information available to the Board of Governors before I could make a statement regarding the possibility of the Postal Service to achieve its goal of substituting capital for labor. 

13.              The Postal Service has recently become subject to Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) work place safety laws in the same manner as other employers. How can the Board of Governors ensure compliance with this law and encourage efforts to improve the safety of the workplace? 

The Board of Governors can ensure compliance with this law and encourage efforts o improve the safety of the workplace by instructing the Post Master General to implement all procedures and laws pertaining to OSHA. 

14.              A critical issue for the Postal Service this year is whether its systems are ready for the year 2000.  How should the Board of Governors ensure that the Postal Service is prepared and has adequate contingency plans in the event  that problems arise? 

The Board of Governors can ensure that the Postal Service is prepared and has adequate contingency plans in the event of problems by instructing the Post Master General to have a plan in place should the need arise and that all systems are prepared. 

15.              Do you view the Postal Service as “fundamentally operating” more like a private-sector business or more like a federal agency?  Are changes needed to redirect the Service?  If so, what are they? 

The Postal Service is more like a federal agency because it services the citizens of our country.        

16.              How proactive should the Board be in identifying areas for cutting costs and improving efficiency in postal operations?