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Representative warns against USPS privatization, urges protections for processing centers and rural delivery
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Summary
Representative Nikki Budzinski told the House Appropriations subcommittee that proposals to privatize or fold the U.S. Postal Service into the Department of Commerce would harm the agency’s universal service obligation and risk service for rural communities; she urged retention of report language to halt consolidation of processing centers and to
Representative Nikki Budzinski told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government that recent proposals to remove the Postal Service’s independence or to privatize it would harm employees and delay mail service, particularly in rural areas.
BudZinski said the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 established USPS as an independent agency and that Congress must not cede sole congressional oversight. She warned that privatization or folding the Postal Service into another department would undermine the agency’s universal service obligation and could lead to higher costs and delayed deliveries for millions of Americans.
BudZinski also asked the subcommittee to keep report language included in last year’s fiscal report that advises USPS to halt downsizing or consolidation of processing and distribution centers in districts failing to meet on-time delivery targets. She specifically said the Springfield, Illinois processing and distribution center remains at risk and that the subcommittee should retain language preventing consolidation in such districts.
On operational changes, BudZinski called attention to the Postal Service’s local transportation optimization plan (LTO), which would reduce pickup frequency for post offices more than 50 miles from a regional processing center. “The USPS itself has acknowledged that this proposal could cause mail delays of up to 24 hours for rural communities and the USPS inspector general has said that this plan has negatively impacted services to customers,” she said.
She told the panel that constituents in her district have experienced mail delivered weeks late, including paychecks, bills and medicine, and urged the subcommittee to include language opposing LTO in the FY 2026 Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) report. Budzinski cited concerns that consolidation and LTO would disproportionately harm rural communities and slow deliveries for critical items.
BudZinski closed by urging the committee to maintain USPS as an independent federal agency and to consider report language and funding choices in the FY 2026 appropriations bill to protect postal service operations and workers.
No formal votes or amendments were taken on USPS policy during this member day session; Budzinski’s remarks were delivered as part of member day testimony.
