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SUMMARIES OF RECENT USPSNEWSRELEASE


National Dog-Bite Prevention Week.
May 19-25

May 15
Letter carriers in Van Nuys, CA, - who led the nation in dog bites last year - kicked off National Dog Bite Prevention Week on Sunday, May 19, with a rally followed by a "dog-walk."

"Last year, 85 of the injuries to letter carriers happened in our neighborhoods," says Van Nuys District Manager Richard Ordonez. "That's why we are leading the nation's annual effort to bring attention to the problem of dog attacks and educate the community about the need for responsible pet ownership."

The number of dog bites suffered by letter carriers peaked in 1983, exceeding 7,000. Through extensive training, public awareness and outreach programs, that number dropped to an all-time low of 2,541 in 1998.

 

Postal Service Honors Six Outstanding Companies with "2002 Quality Supplier Awards"
May 15

PMG Jack Potter recognized six companies that USPS considers "the best of the best" in supplying its employees with the equipment, tools and services they need to deliver superior products and services to the American public.

"When it comes to excellence, you have set the standard for quality suppliers and have become vital partners to our success in identifying and responding to the needs of our customers," Potter told chief executive officers of the award-winning companies during an afternoon ceremony at USPS headquarters.

To be eligible for a Quality Supplier Award, a firm must have earned more than $500,000 during the last fiscal year. Each nominee then went through a rigorous seven-step evaluation process in order to make the final cut. Mirroring the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award process, small teams of postal evaluators selected the winners by reviewing each application, making an on-site visit with the firm and its employees, and talking to key Postal Service customers and purchasing individuals familiar with the supplier.

Remarks by the Postmaster General before the US Congress
May 13

Despite the impact of the recession and the terrorist attacks, we have taken steps to reduce costs and to manage the business more aggressively than ever before. By the end of this year, we will have reduced the number of career employees by 20,000. We will do that through attrition, We will also have reduced workhours by over 60 million compared to last year. And we are postponing other program expenditures and delaying capital investments.

Even with these short-term actions, we recognize the critical need for a long-term approach to the issues the Postal Service is facing. This was the consensus following last year's hearing and it resulted in the Postal Service's creation of a comprehensive Transformation Plan. We delivered that Plan to Congress one month ago.

We believe the Plan offers the flexibility to give the Postal Service the long-term tools it needs to carry out its universal service mandate. That mandate represents a public policy decision that defines the role of the Postal Service. If that is to remain the role of the Postal Service in the future, we need your help and the help of the entire Congress and the Administration to achieve it.