Political Quotes

“Mr. Chair, sadly, the provisions contained in this amendment would block the Postal Service from running a pilot program designed to improve operations and save taxpayers money, like allowing travelers to submit passport applications at post offices across the country. It would severely limit the potential of one of our most essential, constitutionally mandated government agencies, and hurt our communities and our citizens in the process. I represent not only countless letter carriers, but thousands of Ohioans who rely on the Postal Service for timely delivery of their Social Security checks, electric bills, and birthday cards from loved ones. Expanding the services provided at our Nation's post offices would achieve two ends: supporting a great Federal job provider, and helping our communities and citizens at the same time. At a time when banks and other institutions are abandoning inner cities and rural communities, in my district alone, post offices present a perfect medium to collocate, including with traditional banks or credit unions. For example, in my home State, 18.6 percent of Cleveland households have no checking or savings account, and 24.1 percent of households are under-banked, forced to use costly payday and auto title firms or currency exchange stores to cash paychecks or make consumer loans. More than 35 percent of Cleveland's 389,000 residents live below the Federal poverty line. Many post offices are located in bank deserts.…”