James Hill: “Neither snow, nor rain, no heat, nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed…”

“Neither snow, nor rain, no heat, nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.'' These words ring truer now than ever before. In recent weeks, our country's postal workers have once again proven that their determination to get the job done is second to none. Thankfully, the anthrax scare that recently gripped the Nation has subsided. This does not mean that we should be less diligent when it comes to looking for lessons to draw from these acts of terrorism. Even now, it is clear that commerce in this country is inextricably linked to confidence in our mail system. Maintaining confidence in the system requires that we do whatever is necessary to ensure the mail's safety. I was reminded of this a few weeks ago as I toured postal facilities in southern Indiana. Simply, I got an earful. Foremost in the minds of these dedicated Hoosiers was the question of when would the mail facilities receive the help needed to purchase and install anti- biological irradiation equipment. I hope the answer to that particular question is sooner rather than later. The Postal Service needs our help. In the meantime, I have no doubt that Postal Service employees will continue to brave the elements and the unknown and deliver the mail. ____________________”