A key Democratic lawmaker has suggested giving the U.S. Postal Service as much as $1.5 billion to guard itself and its employees against biological terrorist threats such as anthrax.
Last Friday, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), met with Postmaster General Jack Potter and expressed strong support for the PMG’s request for extra money to guard against biological threats, said Hoyer spokeswoman Stacey Farnen. Hoyer is the ranking Democrat on the House Treasury, Postal Service Appropriations Subcommittee.
“Rep. Hoyer felt that if the federal government can give $15 billion to the airline industry, then we can certainly give another $1.5 billion to the postal service which provides such a vital service to the nation,” she said.
Earlier last week, Potter told the Senate Government Affairs Committee that the USPS would need “several billion dollars” to ensure that the mail system is safe from biological terrorism.
While no formal proposals had been made Hoyer was working with postal officials and concrete proposals could come as soon as early next year, Farnen said.
Hoyer will probably propose that money be spent on machines and other methods for detecting and destroying toxic material in the mail.
Hoyer made the decision to suggest directing the funds to the USPS after touring a Maryland postal distribution center and talking with employees, according to news reports.
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