AF&PA supports Postal Regulatory Commission's decision to reject USPS' postal fee rate hike, says such increases have always resulted in reduced mail volume, would have created deeper financial hole for USPS

Sandy Yang

WASHINGTON , September 30, 2010 (press release) – American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President and CEO Donna Harman today issued the following statement regarding the Postal Regulatory Commission’s (PRC) decision to reject the U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) request to substantially raise postal rates above the level allowed by law.

“AF&PA supports the decision announced today by the PRC to reject a crippling rate increase on American consumers and business. Increased rates have nearly always resulted in reduced mail volume, digging a deeper financial hole for the USPS. We are hopeful that this decision will result in a new plan by the Postal Service to innovate and restructure its operations to reduce its costs. We also encourage the Congress to reconsider the requirement that the USPS must fully prefund its retiree health obligations, something no other agency is required to do. As a major business stakeholder of the Postal Service, we stand ready to work with them and the Congress to create the kind of changes necessary to guarantee a strong and healthy mail delivery service for all Americans.

“AF&PA is the national trade association of the U.S. forest products industry, manufacturing products—like paper, paperboard, and packaging—which are essential to the mail system and everyday life.”

The American Forest & Paper Association is the national trade association of the forest products industry, representing pulp, paper, packaging and wood products manufacturers, and forest landowners. Our companies make products essential for everyday life from renewable and recyclable resources that sustain the environment. The forest products industry accounts for approximately 5 percent of the total U.S. manufacturing GDP. Industry companies produce about $175 billion in products annually and employ nearly 900,000 men and women, exceeding employment levels in the automotive, chemicals and plastics industries. The industry meets a payroll of approximately $50 billion and is among the top 10 manufacturing sector employers in 48 states. Visit AF&PA online at http://www.afandpa.org.

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