Senate Begins Debating the Future of U.S. Postal Service

The U.S. Senate moved Tuesday to consider legislation that would fundamentally reshape the U.S. Postal Service. Senators voted to proceed to debate on the bill, with less than a month left until postal officials say they plan to begin closing hundreds of post offices and processing facilities.

The bill set for debate is co-sponsored by Sens. Joseph Lieberman, Susan Collins, Tom Carperand Scott Brown and would delay the Postal Service’s move to a five-day delivery schedule for at least two more years while requiring the agency to downsize, rather than close, most of the processing facilities it wants to close.