WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) this week led Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) in reintroducing the bipartisan, bicameral Deliver for Democracy Act. This legislation would incentivize reliable service from the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and limit excessive rate increases. In recent years USPS has raised rates for periodicals under the guise of increased efficiency and improved service, but the changes have not addressed persistent postal delays.
“A vibrant and healthy local press has always been a defining feature of American democracy. Today, local news offers a crucial alternative to online information ecosystems, which are too often distorted by disinformation. But surging rate increases and poor service jeopardize local news outlets’ ability to reach readers and supply the information so essential to an engaged citizenry. It’s time for USPS to remember its mission and meet the media’s basic needs,” said Senator Welch. “The Deliver for Democracy Act would help local news stave off extinction by requiring USPS to meet reasonable on-time delivery standards before raising rates.”
“Local journalists work hard every day to deliver news on a timely basis, and the U.S. Postal Service should too,” said Senator Rounds. “Periodical rates have cumulatively increased by over 40 percent since August 2021. Meanwhile, the Postal Service’s on-time delivery performances have not improved, leaving local journalists to pick up the slack by handling delivery on their own in order to make certain their readers receive papers on time. Our common sense legislation helps protect rural newspapers and consumers from unjustified price hikes by making certain the Postal Service is held to a standard for on-time deliveries.”
“This legislation is especially important for North Dakota, where our communities rely on local newspapers for timely news and information,” said Senator Hoeven. “Ensuring reliable delivery helps keep North Dakotans connected, supports rural journalism, and makes sure families, businesses, farmers and ranchers stay informed on the issues that matter most.”
“If we want a functioning democracy with accountability, then we need local journalists covering everything from city council meetings to new business openings. Local newspapers who already face pressure from online platforms shouldn’t have to also worry about delayed delivery service,” said Senator Klobuchar. “This legislation will assist local papers by requiring the Postal Service to maintain reasonable delivery standards before raising their fees.”
“You can’t know what is going on in your backyard if you don’t have the information on hand. Local journalism is the lifeblood that helps protect American democracy, combat misinformation, and empower communities small or large,” said Senator Wyden. “The Deliver for Democracy Act ensures that USPS makes deliveries on time so local journalism doesn’t become history. As the son of a journalist and as an elected official who holds townhalls each year in each of Oregon’s 36 counties, I won’t stop fighting to help local journalism deliver news coverage right to your doorstep.”
“Local papers are the backbones of our communities—they shine a light on the issues, large and small, that affect the daily lives of folks in Oregon and across the country. We must do all we can to protect local journalism—especially now,” said Senator Merkley. “The bipartisan Deliver for Democracy Act is a critical piece of the puzzle of keeping local journalism alive by addressing the persistent local delivery delays that plague community news outlets and insisting on adequate service from USPS before any rate increases.”
“Local journalism is vital to keeping our communities informed of what’s going on in Minnesota and across the country,” said Senator Smith. “And it’s important to remember that a lot of people still get newspapers and other periodicals in the mail. My mom grew up in a tiny town in the northern part of the Indiana, but throughout her life, no matter where she lived, from Ohio to Alaska, California and New Mexico, she always made sure she got that local paper in the mail. These weren’t just headlines; they were the stories of her friends, their children and grandchildren, and the issues that connected them all. This bill would help make sure the Postal Service makes on-time deliveries and institutes fair rates, an important step in helping protect local news outlets.”
“Our local newspapers work hard each and every day to deliver high-quality local news to Wisconsinites across the state—and especially to those in our in smaller communities,” said Senator Baldwin. “I am proud to work with my Democratic and Republican colleagues to protect local papers from rate hikes, ensure reliable service, and help more Wisconsin families receive the timely local news that they deserve.”
The Deliver for Democracy Act is led in the House by U.S. Representatives Robert Aderholt (R-AL-04) and Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO-05).
“Local newspapers are the heartbeat of our communities, keeping people informed about local news, high school sports, and important events that bring us together,” said Congressman Robert Aderholt. “Unfortunately, these papers are being squeezed out—not by a lack of readers, but by an inefficient postal service that delays deliveries and threatens their survival. That’s why we have introduced this bill, a bipartisan effort to ensure that local newspapers get where they need to go, on time. Reliable mail service is critical for keeping rural America connected, and I’m committed to making sure our local publications can continue serving the people who depend on them.”
“Local news is the lifeblood of a thriving democracy, ensuring Americans are well-informed about the current events consuming their communities,” said Congressman Cleaver. “Unfortunately, as Postmaster General DeJoy’s Delivering for America Plan has led to constant delivery delays and unreliable service, I’ve heard from many constituents that have struggled to receive their periodicals on time. I’m proud to introduce the bipartisan Deliver for Democracy Act to address these challenges and ensure our local news is being delivered on time, as expected.”
The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006 established an inflation-based cap to annual price increases for all market-dominant postal products, including periodicals. In January 2021, the U.S. Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) finalized regulations that established three additional forms of rate authority, including one for non-compensatory classes of mail such as periodicals and package services. Under those regulations, USPS is provided an additional two percentage points of rate authority for any class or product of mail where costs exceed revenue. Since then, USPS has maximally exercised that authority and raised periodical postage rates by over 40%.
Despite such significant rate increases, however, the Postal Service has routinely failed to meet periodicals’ basic needs and achieve the 95% on-time delivery performance standard outlined in Postmaster General DeJoy’s 10-year plan. As a result, local news outlets, which must already navigate other existential challenges, are simultaneously subject to high distribution costs and poor service.
The Deliver for Democracy Act would:
- Require USPS to either achieve at least a 95% on-time delivery rate for periodicals or an improvement of at least 2 percentage points to unlock its 2% surcharge authority for that class of mail;
- Direct the USPS to annually report to the PRC on its progress in including on-time delivery data for newspapers in its periodical service performance measurement; and
- Instruct the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study and submit a report to Congress on options for alternate USPS pricing schemes to improve the financial position of periodicals.
The Deliver for Democracy Act is endorsed by the National Newspaper Association and News/Media Alliance.
“Local journalists play a critical role in keeping millions of Americans informed, but right now the postal system’s unsustainable rates and unreliable service are endangering many of our members. If something doesn’t change soon, they may be pushed out of business, and residents of communities both large and small will see a loss of quality news and information. We thank Senator Welch and Senator Rounds for their leadership and support for the Deliver for Democracy Act,” said Danielle Coffey, News/Media Alliance President and CEO.
“NNA members continue to suffer from disastrous and punitive rate increases and poor service from the USPS. These are particularly focused on the rural communities served by our members. The Deliver for Democracy Act is an important and useful step towards a comprehensive effort by the Congress to ensure accountability for the USPS,” said Martha Diaz Aszkenazy, Chair, National Newspaper Association Publisher, The San Fernando Valley (CA) Sun/El Sol Newspapers.
Senator Welch has pushed for postal reform to better serve rural communities and has called for improvements to USPS’ national management. After the announcement of proposed changes to mail processing centers in March 2024, Senator Welch joined 20 of his Senate colleagues in urging Postmaster General DeJoy to stop any changes to USPS service standards that would result in job losses and further degrade mail delivery performance, especially in rural areas.
Learn more about the Deliver for Democracy Act.
Read the full text of the bill.
###