The 1970 Postal Reorganization Act

The 1970 Postal Reorganization Act created the United States Postal Service.

On Aug. 12, 1970, Congress passed the Postal Reorganization Act, which officially abolished the United States Postal Department, a government entity, and established the United States Postal Service (USPS), an independent agency.

History

The Second Continental Congress of 1775 declared Benjamin Franklin the first Postmaster General of the United States, the first step toward organized mail delivery in America. This led to innovations such as the Pony Express and railway mail service during westward expansion.

Purpose

By 1967, the Postal Department was bloated, disorganized and had operated at a loss for most of its 160 years. This state of affairs led President Richard M. Nixon to establish the President's Commission on Postal Organization. In March 1970, the commission made its recommendations for reorganization, resulting in a week-long work stoppage and strike among more than 150,000 postal workers.

Effects

After the government and postal workers came to a compromise, the strike ended and the plans for reform continued. Congress passed the act in August 1970, effectively abolishing the U.S. Postal Department and establishing the United States Postal Service. The new, privatized entity carries the same mission as the Postal Department, only now separate from government and politics.

References

• Kevin R. Losar: Postal Reorganization Act of 1970
• Murray Comarow: The Demise of the Postal Service?

Resources

• USPS.com: Postal History