Industry Awaits Task Force Conclusions. The presidential task force that was given a broad mandate to “conduct a thorough evaluation of the operations and finances of the USPS” has completed its report providing recommendations for legislative and administrative changes to put the U.S. Postal Service on a sound financial path. But it will likely be a little longer before the mailing industry gets to view the report. 

While the task force met its August 10 deadline to complete its work, its conclusions need to be vetted by the White House as well as the Treasury Department, Office of Management and Budget, and Office of Personnel Management. The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is expected to hold a hearing on the task force’s conclusions in early September. Since the Administration is on record (see its report Delivering Government Solutions in the 21st Century) in support of privatizing the Postal Service, there is an expectation that will be a topic of the task force report. 

Members of Congress are already lining up in opposition to privatization. On July 13, Representatives Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) and Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) introduced a resolution calling on Congress to ensure that the Postal Service remains an independent agency of the federal government and is not privatized.