Democrats Urge Postal Regulatory Commission to Block USPS Proposed Price Hikes

The lawmakers pointed out that the USPS did not achieve its target for more than half of its market-dominant products in fiscal year 2023. House Democrats are calling on the Postal Regulatory Commission to prevent the U.S. Postal Service from raising prices, warning that this could jeopardize the agency’s future due to its low delivery performance. The USPS plans to increase the price of first-class stamps by 5 cents, from 68 cents to 73 cents, as part of a 7.8 percent overall price adjustment for mailing services products. The agency attributes the need for price hikes to changes in the mailing and shipping market, emphasizing that its prices are still competitive globally. If approved, the price increase would take effect in July, marking the second hike this year and the sixth since March 2021. Several House Democrats are urging the regulatory commission to reject the proposal, citing the USPS’s failure to meet delivery performance standards. They highlight data showing that the USPS missed its targets for over half of its market-dominant products in fiscal year 2023. The USPS has seen a continuous decline in overall mail volume since 2020, coupled with a $6.5 billion net loss for fiscal year 2023. The lawmakers express concerns about the impact of postage price changes on mail volume and stress the importance of the USPS meeting service delivery standards to avoid financial peril that could affect millions of Americans who rely on its services. Additionally, bipartisan senators have called on the USPS to halt operational changes until reviewed by the regulatory commission, citing negative user experiences and potential harm to local communities. Please rewrite this sentence.

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