Whereas the United States Postal Service is a constitutionally mandated service per article I, section 8, clause 7 of the Constitution;

Whereas the United States Postal Service is a self-sustaining, independent establishment that does not receive taxpayer funding and relies solely on revenue derived from the sale of postal services and products;

Whereas the United States Postal Service and its more than 630,000 employees are at the center of the $1,900,000,000,000 mailing industry, employing more than 7,900,000 Americans;

Whereas the United States Postal Service serves the needs of customers at more than 168,000,000 business and residential addresses every day, maintains an affordable and universal network, and connects the country’s rural, suburban, and urban communities;

Whereas the United States Postal Service is consistently the highest rated agency of the Federal Government in nonpartisan opinion polls;

Whereas the United States Postal Service employs nearly 73,000 military veterans and is one of the largest employers of veterans in the Nation;

Whereas postal employees are dedicated public servants who do more than process and deliver the Nation’s mail, they serve as the eyes and ears of the Nation’s communities and often respond first in situations involving health, safety, and crime in their communities;

Whereas privatization of the United States Postal Service would result in higher prices and reduced services for its customers, especially in rural communities; and

Whereas privatization of the United States Postal Service would jeopardize the booming e-commerce sector and cripple a major part of the Nation’s critical infrastructure: Now, therefore, be it