VOA标准英语2011--US Postal Service Faces Financial Disast

US Postal¹ Service Faces Financial Disaster

The United States Postal Service is in big financial trouble. In the last ten years the agency has lost 50 percent of its mail volume. Billions of dollars have been lost and the trend is expected to continue. By the end of September, the Postal Service will no longer be able to pay retiree health benefits. The head of the postal service went before a Senate committee this week to ask lawmakers to allow the postal services to make some drastic changes.
There are more post offices in the United States than McDonalds, Starbucks and Walmart combined. The Postal Service is also written into the U.S. Constitution. For Lenroy Lee, the small North Long Beach post office just outside of Los Angeles is a vital part of his community.
"I know some of the employees in there. I see them a lot," said Lee.
But the North Long Beach post office, may soon close because it costs more to keep this building open than the revenue it generates. In fact 15,000 post offices in similar financial situations across the United States will be reviewed and face possible closure within the next four years.
"It’s a bad thing," Lee added. "It’s a local post office. We need something small in the community. A lot of people can’t get around to the bigger ones."
But a spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service, Richard Maher, says people have changed the way they communicate and do business.
"Instead of the mail they use the Internet. They receive and pay their bills online," Maher explained.
Last year alone, the Postal Service lost $8.5 billion. The agency projects another $10 billion in losses this year.
"If the postal service was a regular business we would have already filed for bankruptcy² and went through restructuring and reorganization," added Maher.
But because the postal service is a government agency, U.S. Congress has to approve many of the money saving changes proposed by Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe. Before a Senate committee hearing recently, he requested permission to change the way the agency handles employee health benefits and pension plans. Donahoe also asked to end Saturday mail deliveries.
"And by delivering five days a week to businesses and residents we feel we could save over three billion dollars annually," Maher explained.
In order to save the post office, Donahoe says the agency also needs to eliminate up to 220,000 jobs by 2015.
This mail carrier has been with the postal service for 24 years. She had thought it would give her financial security.
"When I first got it I was in my late 20s and I said 'Oh this is perfect. It allows us to buy a home, save money to do this and [send] the kids to college and so forth³.' And now, because the way the economy is going and being pushed and changing things in the post office, I am going to retire early," she noted⁴.
Even if Congress approves the changes, spokesman Richard Maher says the main mission of the Postal Service will remain the same.
"And we deliver to every business and every resident in the United States, but we will change and we have to change," said Maher.
Maher adds that many of the changes will be put in place as soon as Congress gives its approval.

1 postal   

adj.邮政的，邮局的

参考例句：

• A postal network now covers the whole country.邮路遍及全国。
• Remember to use postal code.勿忘使用邮政编码。

2 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

3 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。