*Supported by the American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO*
*Current Co-signers (37): Grijalva,
Fitzpatrick, Schakowsky, Norton, DeFazio, Kaptur, Rose (Max), Kathleen Rice, Tim Ryan, Ocasio-Cortez, Tlaib, Watson-Coleman, Blumenauer, Van Drew, Pascrell, Chuy Garcia, Bobby Rush, Barbara Lee, DeLauro, Roybal-Allard, Omar,
Pocan, Cohen, Levin (Mike), Morelle. Payne Jr., Scanlon, Harder, Doyle, André Carson, Luria, Conor Lamb, Soto, Haaland, Crow, Sewell, Levin (Andy)*
Dear Colleague,
I invite you to join me in sending a letter to Postmaster General Brennan to urge her to implement postal banking pilot programs. Under its existing authority, the United States Postal Service can provide affordable financial services, including ATMs, pay-check
cashing, bill payment and electronic money transfers. This is crucial for both rural and urban communities that face limited banking options. There is a Post Office in every part of this country and they can be critical in providing much needed financial services
for communities that are underserved by financial institutions.
Please feel free to contact Valentin Castillo at
Valentin.Castillo@mail.house.gov with any questions, concerns or to sign on. The deadline to sign on is May 23rd, the text of the letter is below:
Dear Postmaster General Brennan:
We write to convey our support for the renewal and expansion of financial services at United States Postal Service locations. Millions of people across the country, in every state and territory, suffer from lack of access to reliable and affordable financial
services. We believe the Postal Service could help address this important issue.
As members of Congress, we understand and appreciate the important role the Postal Service plays in the daily lives of our constituents and its broader importance to the American economy and its legal mandate to “bind the nation together” in accordance with
the Constitution.
Across the country, more than 8.4 million households – composed of 14 million adults and 6.4 million children – are unbanked, meaning no one in the home has neither a checking nor a savings account. Another 24.2 million US households – 48.9 million adults
and 15.4 million children – are underbanked, meaning that while they may have a bank account, they also rely on expensive alternative financial services like payday loans, high-fee ATMS, pawn shops, or check-cashing services.
Lack of access to reliable and affordable financial products and services is an issue that affects many parts of the country. Banking deserts exist in urban, suburban and rural areas. We believe that the Postal Service has a unique ability to remediate many
of these issues, and can do so quickly by offering various financial services under its current statutory authority.
As you know, postal banking was a reality in this country for most of the 20th Century, with the Postal Savings System operating from 1911-1967. We believe that the public’s high degree of trust in the Postal Service, as well as its unmatched
nationwide network of brick and mortar facilities, positions the Postal Service to successfully to reintroduce postal financial services and address the financial needs of millions across the country.
We write to urge you to take immediate action under the existing statutory authority to implement pilot programs offering affordable financial services, including ATMs, paycheck cashing, bill payment and electronic money transfers in post offices. With millions
of Americans currently underserved by existing financial institutions, these postal financial services are needed in communities across the country.
We remain committed to working with the Postal Service to ensure that our constituents continue to enjoy the affordable, reliable and universal postal services the USPS provides and we look forward to adding postal financial services to that in the near
future. We would welcome an opportunity to meet and discuss our support for postal banking in our districts.
Sincerely,
xxxMembersxxx
cc: Governor Michael Duncan
Governor David Williams
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