Press Releases

Today, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, and Rep. Kweisi Mfume, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee Government Operations and the Federal Workforce, urged the Postal Regulatory Commission to reject proposed postage price hikes.  The proposed price increase marks the second price hike in 2024, and the sixth price hike on postage rates since March 2021.

“On Tuesday, April 9, the United States Postal Service filed notice of proposed price hikes pending approval by the Postal Regulatory Commission (the Commission).  The proposal is to increase first-class Forever stamp prices from 68 cents to 73 cents. This marks the sixth time since March 2021 that the Postal Service has increased postage rates.  This rate hike, if implemented, comes at a time when postal delivery performance is experiencing historic lows.  We believe that this trajectory is setting the Postal Service on a course that threatens its future as an effective, efficient, and vital American institution,” wrote the Members.

Latest figures indicate that mail volume has continued to decline and the Postal Service is failing to meet its own service delivery performance standards that Postmaster General Louis DeJoy stipulated in his ten-year “Delivering for America” plan.  As of May 3, 2024, national service performance for on time First Class mail is 86%.

Following the Postal Service’s notice of its July 2024 price changes, the Commission issued an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking to seek “comment on the Commission’s review of the system for regulating rate and classes for Market Dominant products.”  The Members urge the Commission to consider the Postal Service’s own failure to meet its performance standards as it reviews the system for regulating postage rates and market dominant product classes.

Click here to read today’s letter.