The future of the United States Postal Service

The United States Postal Service (USPS) is one of the oldest and most revered institutions in the U.S. government. Despite this storied past, USPS now faces substantial financial challenges and threats to its survival, including unfavorable economic conditions, an evolving business environment, and declining mail volumes and revenue. And to add to the agency’s woes, Congress has failed repeatedly to act on postal reform.

On March 25, the Center for Effective Public Management at Brookings hosted a discussion to address the current health of the USPS and reform efforts to modernize and improve the financial condition of this government institution. Panelists outlined the problems faced by the postal service, examine opportunities for reform, and ask questions including: What is the core function of the USPS in the 21st century and how can it best deliver services to Americans? What is USPS’s relationship to the private sector and how do laws and regulations shape that relationship? What is the status of postal reform in Congress and what political barriers exist? What are the causes of USPS’s financial problems? What innovations might be the way forward for USPS?