Printing Industries of America Urges House to Vote on Postal Reform

PITTSBURGH—July 12, 2012—Responding to media reports that the U.S. House is unlikely to vote on postal reform legislation this summer, Printing Industries of America warned of the disastrous consequences this delay would pose to the printing and graphic communications industry and to the overall future viability of the U.S. Postal Service.

H.R. 2309, the Postal Reform Act, sponsored by House Oversight & Government Affairs Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, was approved by the committee last fall but has languished in its journey to a full House vote. Postal reform was initially included on a July “To Do” memo issued by House GOP Leadership, and a vote prior to the August recess had been expected until this week.

“Everyone knows a presidential election year means Congress stops legislating for all intents and purposes in the weeks leading up to Election Day, but that’s no excuse for letting the month of July slip by without putting substantive, ready-to-go legislation like postal reform on the House floor for a vote,” said Michael Makin, Printing Industries of America’s president and CEO.

“Rather than focusing on ‘messaging votes’ to spotlight job-killing policies, the House should take a vote on legislation like H.R. 2309 that actually does something to address job creation and growth—and has a valid chance of becoming law,” Makin added

The Senate passed its version of postal reform in April and is awaiting the House-passed version in order to begin a bicameral conference to resolve differences between two bills. A delay in the House vote imperils the prospect that enough time will remain on a dwindling legislative calendar to achieve final passage of postal reform by the end of 2012.

While the House could consider H.R. 2309 in September or in the post-election lame duck session, there is considerable risk that the issue could slip altogether in the face of other must-pass legislation related to the approaching “fiscal cliff.”