USPS Financial Status Overview
Background and Issues for Debate
Since 1971, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has been a self-supporting, wholly governmental entity. Prior to that time, the Federal Government provided postal services via the U.S. Post Office Department (USPOD), a government agency that received annual appropriations from Congress. Members of Congress were involved in many aspects of the USPOD’s operations, including the selection of managers (e.g., postmasters) and the pricing of postal services. In 1971, Congress enacted the Postal Reorganization Act, which replaced USPOD with the USPS, an “independent establishment of the Executive Branch.” The USPS is a marketized government agency that was designed to cover its operating costs…
