Rural Letter Carriers Rally on Capitol Hill to Protect the U.S. Postal Service from Privatization

NRLCA Launches National Campaign to Hold Congress Accountable and Secure Bipartisan Support for Protecting the Postal Service

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, March 28, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- On Tuesday, March 25th, over 100 rural letter carriers from across the country gathered on Capitol Hill, standing in solidarity with their colleagues from the American Postal Workers Union (APWU), the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), and the National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU), to call on Congress to uphold its duty to protect the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) as an independent agency and vital public service.

The rally marked the official launch of the NRLCA’s National Campaign to Protect the U.S. Postal Service from Privatization, the union’s top priority to preserve a critical institution that serves rural America and the country at large. This rally follows alarming reports, including a February story in the Washington Post, revealing that President Trump is preparing to strip the Postal Service of its independent authority and place it under his administration’s control. The resignation of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has also raised concerns about the future direction of the USPS. These moves expose the 250-year-old institution to privatization, threatening rural Americans’ access to essential services and opening the door for political and profit-driven agendas to undermine this public good.

Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) addressed the rally, reaffirming his commitment to protecting the Postal Service: “Our goal today is to make sure the Postal Service stays independent and free. We can never let anyone privatize an essential service like the Postal Service. I will be introducing a resolution soon for Congress to say ‘No to Privatization!’ Let’s send a strong statement: Keep your hands off the Postal Service!”

Rep. Andrew Gabarino (R-NY) echoed that sentiment: “I’m proud to stand with you today to keep the Postal Service strong, independent, and public. I’ve spoken to the White House and the Speaker—I said keep your hands off. This is a bad idea. We’re going to continue to fight for you all to make sure you get the support you need, the money you need, and the protections you need to keep your jobs.”

Tim Thomason, a rural letter carrier from Princeton, West Virginia, shared his concerns about the consequences of privatization: “If privatization happens, everything we’ve worked for will be at risk. The stable, dignified jobs we’ve built, the benefits and bargaining rights that we’ve fought for—they’ll be gone. The people we serve will lose the care and compassion that we bring, and the public service that has been the backbone of rural America will be dismantled for the benefit of profit-driven companies.”

The rally also emphasized the urgent need for bipartisan support for H. Resolution 70, a resolution in the House of Representatives that affirms USPS’s role as a federal institution and opposes privatization. The campaign has also garnered support for a similar resolution in the Senate, promised to be sponsored by Sen. Peters (D-MI).

In addition to Sen. Peters and Rep. Gabarino, other elected officials who participated in the rally include Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Rep. Pete Stauber (R-MN), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA), and Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA). Their attendance further underscores the growing bipartisan support for defending the Postal Service and rejecting privatization.

Don Maston, President of the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association (NRLCA), spoke about the stakes of the movement: “This isn’t just about mail delivery—it’s about the people we serve and the work we do to connect this country. Privatization threatens the very lifeline that millions of Americans rely on, especially those in rural communities. We are asking Congress to act now to protect the Postal Service and the workers who serve their communities. We will remember who stood with us during this crucial moment in our history.”

The rally marks a starting point for the NRLCA’s campaign to protect the future of the Postal Service and prevent the damage that privatization would cause to rural communities and postal workers across the country. The NRLCA is calling on all Americans to stand with rural carriers and all postal workers and demand that Congress reject any attempts to dismantle the Postal Service.

** Since the date of the NRLCA rally, Sen. Peters has fulfilled his promise and co-sponsored S. Res 147, a bipartisan Senate resolution to protect the United States Postal Service from privatization, along with Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Thom Tillis (R-NC).

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The NRLCA, established in 1903, represents 130,000 rural letter carriers who serve over 51 million residential mailboxes. Rural carriers serve as a “Post Office on Wheels”, providing critical mail services to communities across the U.S. and ensuring that even the most remote areas stay connected to the rest of the nation.

Melissa Ray
National Rural Letter Carriers' Association
+1 571-480-2641
email us here

NRLCA Rally on Capitol Hill