US Congressman set to re-introduce bill preventing post office closures in high-growth ZIP codes

US Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva has announced that he is set to re-introduce a bill which would prevent the US Postal Service (USPS) from closing any post office or postal facility that serves a high-growth ZIP code. According to a statement published on Congressman Grijalva’s official website on Friday (4 September), the bill “would require USPS officials to work with the Department of Commerce – which conducts the U.S. Census and keeps annual demographic data – to ensure that no closure would negatively impact a ‘high growth’ ZIP code, as defined by Commerce officials at the beginning of each year”.

Grijalva is a Representative for the state of Arizona- and his statement makes a specific reference to his concerns over a USPS facility at Tucson/Cherry Bell which, he reported, “is slated for closure in 2016, moving all Arizona postal sorting to a single center in Phoenix”.

The Congressman added: “Closing postal facilities in high-growth localities like Tucson threatens jobs and undermines timely delivery in the exact places where we should be doing the opposite.

“Our goal should be to catalyze economic development, not stunt it in the fastest growing population centers in the country. The employees of Cherrybell, residents and businesses of Tucson, and the people of Arizona deserve better than haphazard facility closures that undermine the basic services of our society.”

Rep. Grijalva first introduced this legislation in 2012. The bill is co-sponsored by Rep. Ruben Gallego (a fellow Democrat from Arizona).