e-Team Report, Feb. 10, 2012
February 10, 2012
Tell the U. S. House of Representatives to vote no on H.R. 7
This week, H.R. 3813 was passed through the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee along party lines with a vote of 22-16. This legislation would increase the amount both federal and postal employees would have to contribute to their retirement by 1.5%. Those employees with less than 5 years of service would see an increase in the amount they have to contribute to their retirement of 3.2%. This bill would also change the way annuities for those with less than five years of service are calculated. If passed, the new model for calculating annuities would be based on salaries using an employee’s high five-year salary instead of the current high three-year model.
After H.R. 3813 was reported from committee, the House Rules Committee merged the bill with highway bill H.R. 7, the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act of 2012. H.R. 7 is expected to be considered by the House during the week of February 13.
Click here to take action and send a quick message to your representative. Tell them to vote no on H.R. 7! After you send a message to your representative, make sure you also take a minute to call their office and tell them to vote no on H.R. 7! You can reach your members of Congress by calling the Capitol Hill switchboard at 202-224-3121. To find your representative, please click here.
Tell the Senate
There are no new updates as to when S. 1789 may come to the floor for a vote. This legislation can still be brought forward any day — possibly within the next week. Please make sure to be vigilant in checking your inbox for new e-team updates on S. 1789. The APWU’s website will also provide up to the minute information as it comes in.
Click here to send a quick message telling both of your Senators that the postal reform bill, S. 1789, is not acceptable in its current form. Several amendments need to be made to S. 1789. The stakes for postal workers have never been higher. This legislation, as written, would only give the Postal Service minor temporary financial relief while inflicting dangerous long-term damage to the Postal Service. As written, S. 1789 would weaken current service standards, kill jobs, and close facilities.
With S.1789 looming on the horizon, we are still asking that you please pick up the phone and call both your senators and tell them that S. 1789 is simply not acceptable in its current form.
When you call your senators, please ask them to support amendments to:
- Set strict service standards. (This is crucial, because the Postal Service is planning to degrade delivery standards in order to eliminate more than half of all mail processing facilities.)
- Allow the USPS to recover overpayments the Postal Service made to its retiree pension funds.
- Adequately address the requirement that forces the USPS to pre-fund future retiree health benefits. (This mandate is the primary cause of the agency’s financial crisis. No other government agency or private company bears this burden, which costs the USPS approximately $5.5 billion annually.)
- Establish new ways to generate revenue, such as providing notary services, issuing licenses, contracting with state and local agencies to provide services, and allowing the USPS to offer services that mail systems in many other countries provide, such as digital services.
- Prevent the closing of small post offices by giving the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) binding authority to prevent closures based on the effect on the community and employees.
- Protect six-day delivery.
- Eliminate the provision that would drastically reduce the compensation of workers who are injured on duty once they reach retirement age.
- Repeal the provision that would require arbitrators in postal contract negotiations to consider the financial health of the USPS. (Postal unions note that arbitrators routinely do so, and criticize the provision as an attempt to skew contract negotiations in favor of management.)
To read more about this legislation, including the full text of the bill, click here .
It is important that all senators hear directly from their constituents. You can reach your senators by calling their Capitol Hill office using the numbers listed below.
AK Begich, Mark D (202) 224-3004
AK Murkowski, Lisa R S (202) 224-6665
AL Sessions, Jeff R S (202) 224-4124
AL Shelby, Richard R S (202) 224-5744
AR Boozman, John R S (202) 224-4843
AR Pryor, Mark D S (202) 224-2353
AZ Kyl, Jon R S (202) 224-4521
AZ McCain, John R S (202) 224-2235
CA Boxer, Barbara D S (202) 224-3553
CA Feinstein, Dianne D S (202) 224-3841
CO Bennet, Michael D S (202) 224-5852
CO Udall, Mark D S (202) 224-5941
CT Blumenthal, Richard D S (202) 224-2823
CT Lieberman, Joseph I S (202) 224-4041
DE Carper, Thomas D S (202) 224-2441
DE Coons, Christopher D S (202) 224-5042
FL Nelson, Bill D S (202) 224-5274
FL Rubio, Marco R S (202) 224-3041
GA Chambliss, Saxby R S (202) 224-3521
GA Isakson, Johnny R S (202) 224-3643
HI Akaka, Daniel D S (202) 224-6361
HI Inouye, Daniel D S (202) 224-3934
IA Grassley, Charles R S (202) 224-3744
IA Harkin, Tom D S (202) 224-3254
ID Crapo, Mike R S (202) 224-6142
ID Risch, James R S (202) 224-2752
IL Durbin, Richard D S (202) 224-2152
IL Kirk, Mark R S (202) 224-2854
IN Coats, Dan R S (202) 224-5623
IN Lugar, Richard R S (202) 224-4814
KS Moran, Jerry R S (202) 224-6521
KS Roberts, Pat R S (202) 224-4774
KY McConnell, Mitch R S (202) 224-2541
KY Paul, Rand R S (202) 224-4343
LA Landrieu, Mary D S (202) 224-5824
LA Vitter, David R S (202) 224-4623
MA Brown, Scott R S (202) 224-4543
MA Kerry, John D S (202) 224-2742
MD Cardin, Benjamin D S (202) 224-4524
MD Mikulski, Barbara D S (202) 224-4654
ME Collins, Susan R S (202) 224-2523
ME Snowe, Olympia R S (202) 224-5344
MI Levin, Carl D S (202) 224-6221
MI Stabenow, Debbie D S (202) 224-4822
MN Franken, Al D S (202) 224-5641
MN Klobuchar, Amy D S (202) 224-3244
MO Blunt, Roy R S (202) 224-5721
MO McCaskill, Claire D S (202) 224-6154
MS Cochran, Thad R S (202) 224-5054
MS Wicker, Roger R S (202) 224-6253
MT Baucus, Max D S (202) 224-2651
MT Tester, Jon D S (202) 224-2644
NC Burr, Richard R S (202) 224-3154
NC Hagan, Kay D S (202) 224-6342
ND Conrad, Kent D S (202) 224-2043
ND Hoeven, John R S (202) 224-2551
NE Johanns, Mike R S (202) 224-4224
NE Nelson, Ben D S (202) 224-6551
NH Ayotte, Kelly R S (202) 224-3324
NH Shaheen, Jeanne D S (202) 224-2841
NJ Lautenberg, Frank D S (202) 224-3224
NJ Menendez, Robert D S (202) 224-4744
NM Bingaman, Jeff D S (202) 224-5521
NM Udall, Tom D S (202) 224-6621
NV Heller, Dean R S (202) 224-6244
NV Reid, Harry D S (202) 224-3542
NY Gillibrand, Kirsten D S (202) 224-4451
NY Schumer, Charles D S (202) 224-6542
OH Brown, Sherrod D S (202) 224-2315
OH Portman, Rob R S (202) 224-3353
OK Coburn, Thomas R S (202) 224-5754
OK Inhofe, James R S (202) 224-4721
OR Merkley, Jeff D S (202) 224-3753
OR Wyden, Ron D S (202) 224-5244
PA Casey, Robert D S (202) 224-6324
PA Toomey, Pat R S (202) 224-4254
RI Reed, Jack D S (202) 224-4642
RI Whitehouse, Sheldon D S (202) 224-2921
SC DeMint, James R S (202) 224-6121
SC Graham, Lindsey R S (202) 224-5972
SD Johnson, Tim D S (202) 224-5842
SD Thune, John R S (202) 224-2321
TN Alexander, Lamar R S (202) 224-4944
TN Corker, Robert R S (202) 224-3344
TX Cornyn, John R S (202) 224-2934
TX Hutchison, Kay Bailey R S (202) 224-5922
UT Hatch, Orrin R S (202) 224-5251
UT Lee, Mike R S (202) 224-5444
VA Warner, Mark D S (202) 224-2023
VA Webb, James D S (202) 224-4024
VT Leahy, Patrick D S (202) 224-4242
VT Sanders, Bernie I S (202) 224-5141
WA Cantwell, Maria D S (202) 224-3441
WA Murray, Patty D S (202) 224-2621
WI Johnson, Ron R S (202) 224-5323
WI Kohl, Herb D S (202) 224-5653
WV Manchin, Joe D S (202) 224-3954
WV Rockefeller, John D S (202) 224-6472
WY Barrasso, John R S (202) 224-6441
WY Enzi, Michael R S (202) 224-3424