Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Postmasters Equity Act of 2003. I am pleased to have Senators Collins, Daschle, Jeffords, Inouye, Mikulski, and Sarbanes join me as original cosponsors. A House companion bill will be introduced shortly by Representative McHugh, chairman of the Government Reform Committee's Special Panel on Postal Reform and Oversight.
The measure we propose today modifies legislation I offered in the 107th Congress. That bill, S. 177, the Postmasters Fairness Act, enjoyed the bipartisan support of 49 members of the U.S. Senate. Its House companion bill, H.R. 250, had 291 cosponsors.
The measure I introduce today differs from its predecessor in that it provides postmasters the option of fact finding rather than binding arbitration if the postmasters management associations and the Postal Service are unable to reach agreement on specific issues. Fact finding would allow for an unbiased review of the issues in dispute and the issuance of non-binding recommendations. The measure would also define the term postmaster for the first time.
Extending the option of fact finding to postmasters will enable them to take a more active and constructive role in managing their individual post offices and discussing compensation issues with the Postal Service. The Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 created a consultative process for postmasters and other non-union postal employees to negotiate pay and benefits. However, under the current system, postmasters have seen an erosion of their role in improving the quality of mail services to postal patrons and managing their local post offices. This has been particularly true for postmasters responsible for small and medium sized post offices where they serve as front line managers. These circumstances are among factors contributing to the decline in the number of postmasters since the reorganization of the Postal Service over three decades ago.
At the present time, postmasters lack recourse when consultation fails, and my bill extends to our nation's postmasters what is currently enjoyed by postal supervisors. While postal supervisors have the same consultation process as postmasters, the supervisors also have fact finding, which provides them with greater ability to negotiate with USPS management.
Mr. President, the Postal Service estimates that each day seven million customers transact business at post offices. We expect timely delivery of the mail, six days a week, and the Postal Service does not disappoint us. Given the regularity of mail delivery and the number of Americans visiting post offices daily, it is no wonder that we have come to view our neighborhood post offices as cornerstones of our communities. In fact, many of our towns and cities have developed around a post office where the postmaster served as the town's only link to the federal government.
Our nation's postmasters are on the front line to ensure that the mail gets delivered in a timely manner, and they help fuel the infrastructure that continues to boost the performance ratings of the Postal Service. Postmasters have enabled us to communicate with one another since the dawn of this great republic. I urge my colleagues to join me in showing their support for our nation's postmasters by cosponsoring this legislation.
I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the RECORD following my statement.
