Postal

With over 300 post offices and more than 3,000 postal workers in New Mexico, the United States Postal Service (USPS) provides both an invaluable service to our community as well as thousands of jobs for New Mexicans.

Postal Reform

The USPS faces significant financial challenges and pressure to reduce services, cut workers, and shut down post offices.  It has reduced its workforce by 200,000 positions, consolidated more than 360 facilities, and reduced operating hours in 13,000 post offices.  I am concerned that further deteriorating the quality of postal service like switching to 5 day delivery will reduce mail volume and deteriorate USPS’s finances even further.  As a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee (OGR) I was able to work with my colleagues in Congress to pass the Postal Service Reform Act. The bill would:

• Reform the USPS retiree health benefit pre-funding requirement, so that USPS is treated the same as any other federal entity;

• Maintain 6-day/week postal delivery;

• Ensure rural access to postal delivery;

• Allow post offices to provide non-postal services such as DMV and banking services; and

• Enable incremental conversion to centralized delivery in neighborhoods that opt into cluster box delivery.Residents who do not opt in will still receive door delivery.

Mail Theft

Mail theft is huge problem in Albuquerque.  In 2015, there were 229 attacks on cluster mailboxes in Albuquerque, and in 2016 those numbers increased.  Criminals are looking for checks, money, personally identifiable information, valuable packages, and tax information.  These break-ins disproportionately impact elderly and disabled residents who have significant difficulties getting to the nearest post office to pick up their mail or prescription medications.

I have personally met with Guy Cottrell, Chief Inspector of the Postal Inspection Service.  The Postal Inspection Office has a responsibility to prevent as many thefts as possible, hold those responsible accountable, and quickly fix broken or damaged cluster boxes and individual mailboxes.  I will continue to push USPS to increase the number of postal inspectors in Albuquerque to help protect individuals and their families from postal theft.  If the Postal Service is going to be successful, customers have to trust that their mail will be safely and securely delivered.

My office would be happy to assist you on any USPS-related issue.  If USPS lost your mail or has not fixed a broken cluster box, please contact my office at 505-346-6781.