Senate approves postal reform bill, legislation now goes to House

The U.S. Senate has given final approval to legislation impacting rural post offices, including Missouri Senators Claire McCaskill's and Roy Blunt’s amendments, as described in this week's Ozark County Times ("Senators unveil plan to protect rural post offices").

Three Ozark County post offices are on a USPS list of more than 3,000 post offices, mostly rural, that are being considered for closure.

The Senate-passed bill contains provisions to preserve six-day delivery and maintain delivery standards—which will help prevent the closing of many mail-processing facilities, likely including the facilities in Springfield and Cape Girardeau, says McCaskill's office.

McCaskill's amendment would bar the USPS from closing rural post offices during the next 12 months. Thereafter, the Postal Service could only close a rural post office if these criteria are met:

Postal customers receive the same or substantially similar access to essential items, such as prescription medications and time-sensitive communications, that are sent through the mail

Businesses in the community do not suffer substantial economic loss, and the economic loss to the community resulting from the closure does not exceed the savings the Postal Service obtains by closing the post office

The area served by the post office has adequate access to wired broadband Internet service; and

The next nearest post office is within 10 miles driving distance, using roads with year-round access.