As Democrats regroup and forge ahead with plans to implement components of the Build Back Better legislation killed by Senator Joe Manchin, calls for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to be given billions to electrify its vehicle fleet are likely to soon reach a fever pitch.
USPS is a high-profile, well-regarded institution through which progressives want to unveil new programs. Progressives pulled out all the stops to provide USPS with electric vehicle funding in 2021 and will likely double down in 2022.
Republicans and fiscal conservatives in Washington, D.C. should push back hard. Electric vehicle subsidies for USPS epitomize what is wrong in Washington, D.C. and how proven, time-tested financial restraint and related guard rails are being eviscerated.
USPS needs a new delivery vehicle fleet, and it has been on the path to purchasing the vehicles long before Build Back Better was ever conceived. After years of study, USPS announced on February 23 that it was purchasing 50,000 to 165,000 next generation delivery vehicles over the next 10 years.
USPS plans to purchase a combination of electric and fuel-efficient internal combustion engine vehicles, all of which are markedly cleaner than the current vehicles which are an average of 25 years old.
For fiscal year 2022, Build Back Better provides $2.6 billion for USPS to purchase electric vehicles and $3.4 billion to construct charging and related infrastructure to support such vehicles. It is the first step in progressives’ push to make all USPS delivery vehicles electric by 2028 and to also require all USPS medium- and heavy-duty trucks to be electric.
There are three fundamental reasons to strongly oppose electric vehicle funding to USPS.
USPS has the cash to buy electric vehicles now. For the quarter ending September 30, 2021, USPS reported having $23.9 billion in cash, nearly four times what Congress wants to provide. USPS also received $10 billion in COVID relief funds even though the pandemic provided a catalyst for its business by significantly increasing the demand for package shipments. And keep in mind, USPS plans to purchase and pay for its new fleet over 10 years.
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Get rid of the usps and save a lot of money we have UPS and Fed ex who are the best .
The Democrats have to appease the USPS to keep them in their clutches for all those FAKE MAIL IN BALLOTS to steal elections they need.
Like 2020 Election they like it like that so they can count LATE Ballotts for the Democrats !!!!!!
Yes, Waist more Billions buying New Not needed Vehicles for the USPS !!!!! $$$$$$$
Yes, then stamp Price goes to $2.00 per stamp !!!!!
They will have a secret compartment in the floor for Democrat Late Ballots !!!!!
Contract it to Amazon they deliver faster than USPS,UPS and FedX alike. Get rid of the Mail altogether Seniors and people on Welfare waiting on Checks should get DIRECT DEPOSIT. All I get is trash in the mail printed in China and dare not toss it in the fireplace. Do people even have bank accounts anymore? I see them cashing checks at Payday Lenders and then buying money orders at Royal Farms. DO they think they are duping the man and banking undetected? and I am talking about white people.