Biden signs law to reform U.S. Postal Service

April 6 (UPI) -- President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed a bill into law that overhauls the finances of the U.S. Postal Service and is designed to modernize the national mail agency, which has historically struggled to stay in the black.

Biden remarked on the historical legacy and ongoing importance of the federal agency while signing the $107 billion bipartisan package, which easily passed the House and Senate.

"Today, more than 675,000 dedicated women and men of the United States Postal Service continue to deliver for the American people," Biden said. "It's no exaggeration to say the postal service delivers democracy. It's no exaggeration to say the postal service is as essential as it ever was, as it has ever been, today."

The new package gives the beleaguered agency greater financial flexibility in removing $57 billion in past-due postal liabilities, as well as $50 billion in payments over the next 10 years.

The law also requires future postal service retirees to enroll in Medicare and drops a requirement that ordered the agency to prefund their healthcare costs every year.

Biden signed the bill in a ceremony at the White House Wednesday afternoon. The event also included remarks from Annette Taylor, a former letter carrier.

"I delivered mail for 32 years and am a proud member of the National Association of Letter Carriers," Taylor said.

She turned to face Biden.

"Mr. President, the postal service is an essential facilitator of our democracy and our economy. We know there is more to do to secure long term viability, but today is a huge step forward."

The USPS has been under fire since Postmaster General Louis DeJoy took office in mid-2020 and faced criticism for taking down mail collection boxes and delaying mail during the 2020 presidential race.

In 2021, DeJoy introduced a 10-year plan to cut costs, which included lowering the service standard for first-class mail from three days or less to five days or less. The plan also reduced office hours.

The USPS, which began operating in 1775, mandates delivery to all U.S. households regardless of location. For this and a number of other reasons, many of which are outside the USPS' control, the agency has historically been a money loser.