All NAPS branches are urged to visit their Members of Congress at home during January to seek support for postal reform. The prospects for the passage of postal reform legislation are better than ever, and postal reform bills will be introduced early in the upcoming second session of Congress.

"Visits with Members of Congress at home in their district offices are critical to underscore postal reform as a "must-pass" issue in the upcoming second session of Congress," Peter Sirh, staff director of the House Government Reform Committee, told NAPS and other postal groups last week. The House Government Reform Committee, chaired by Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA), has responsibility for the consideration of postal bills in the House of Representatives.

Sirh said that his boss, Chairman Tom Davis, and other House leaders urged NAPS and other postal employee organizations and mailer groups to visit their Members of Congress during January, while House members are back in their districts, to highlight why postal reform is critical. "Without a fundamental shift in the Postal Service, we face a series of unattractive options to keep the postal system operating," Davis said in a statement. "This crisis has been brewing for years, and it's time to act on comprehensive reform. Too many jobs, too many businessess and too many families are depending on us."

Members of Congress will return to Washington for the start of the second session of Congress during the week of January 20. The time for visits in the district is between now and January 20.

President Bush recently urged Congress to move quickly next year to pass postal reform, a call that was echoed by a bipartisan group of House leaders, including House Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis (R-VA), Ranking Member Henry A. Waxman (D-CA), Rep. John M. McHugh (R-NY), head of the committee's Special Panel on Postal Reform and Oversight, and the special panel's Ranking Member, Rep. Danny Davis (R-IL).

NAPS Executive Vice-President Ted Keating echoed Davis' call and urged all NAPS branches to schedule Congressional visits immediately. "Don't wait until the LTS to visit your Member of Congress," Keating warned. "It's critical that we put postal screen on the map now." "We'll have lots of followup business on postal reform during our Congressional visits at the LTS as well," Keating promised.

To schedule your branch's meeting with your House Member, call the Member's district office. Telephone numbers for district offices are located on the web sites of each Member of Congress, which can be reached through the website for the House of Representatives, at www.house.gov. To secure talking points for your visit, contact NAPS Legislative Counsel Bruce Moyer at brumoyer@verizon.net.

December 23, 2003