NNA calls on Congressional oversight committees to address USPS proposed administration changes

Feb 26, 2025

NNA Member Alert — Feb. 26, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Lynne Lance, executive director, lynne@nna.org

Today, NNA Chair Martha Diaz Aszkenazy, publisher, The San Fernando Valley (California) Sun, and NNA's Mailers Technical Advisory Committee (MTAC) representatives sent a letter to the leaders of the House and Senate committees that oversee the USPS to encourage their leadership and supervision of the major changes President Donald Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick have indicated they are considering.

NNA believes that meaningful change at the USPS is needed to reverse the pattern of decreasing service quality and punitive twice-a-year increases but called on the oversight committee leadership to engage with the administration to ensure that whatever actions are taken restore the USPS to a viable business partner for community newspapers across the country. The letter states:

“As the administration considers what appear to be profound changes to the leadership structure of the USPS, we urge you as leaders of the oversight committees to ensure that these changes will be viable, durable, and consistent with the law. Moreover, it is critical that any changes preserve the mechanisms that provide accountability for the USPS to ensure that it is operating for the benefit of Americans and once again provides affordable, reliable universal service to every community in the country.”

The letter also encourages the committees to work with the administration to engage with the Mailers Technical Advisory Council in order to gain critical insight on the needs of mail customers by benefitting from the expertise of members, including NNA, who understand the complex mailing process. It urges that the proposed July rate increase be paused until new leadership is confirmed and can properly assess its impact and encourages prompt confirmation of qualified nominees for the Board of Governors. NNA also reiterates support for the USPS SERVES US Act that will be essential in providing effective regulatory oversight and accountability that will be even more vital in the aftermath of significant changes.

While the exact nature of changes by the administration is unclear, the fundamental principles of fulfilling the responsibility to provide the nation with affordable and reliable universal service remain a constant and it is the responsibility of the oversight committees to ensure that this Constitutionally-required obligation endures.