STATEMENT OF ROBERT V. ROTA POSTMASTER U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1993 BUDGET STATEMENT OF ROBERT V. ROTA MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE, IT IS AN HONOR TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU ONCE AGAIN IN SUPPORT OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE OFFICE OF THE POSTMASTER. THE TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS REQUESTED FOR THE OFFICE OF THE POSTMASTER FOR FISCAL YEAR 1993 IS $6,020,000. THIS REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF $1,643,000 OVER LAST YEARS' APPROPRIATION OF $4,377,000 TO COVER LONGEVITY SALARY INCREASES, MERITORIOUS PROMOTIONS, COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS, AND 19 NEW POSITIONS WHICH ARE A DIRECT RESULT OF THE NEW MACHINERY NOW OPERATING IN THE OFFICE OF THE POSTMASTER. THE NEW POSITIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS: 12 MAIL PROCESSING CLERKS (HS-2) TO OPERATE THE CHAMPS MACHINE AND TO COLLECT MAIL FROM THE JETSTAR 3000, THREE AUTOMATION OPERATORS (HS-5) TO OPERATE THE JETSTAR 3000, THREE KEYBOARD OPERATORS (HS-3) TO OPERATE THE JETSTAR 400, AND ONE MANAGER, ADDRESSS INDIVIDUALIZED CONSTITUENT MAIL REMAINED THE SAME. IT IS THIS INDIVIDUAL CONSTITUENT MAIL WHICH REQUIRES OFFICES AND BY THE OFFICE OF THE POSTMASTER PERSONNEL. SINCE I WAS ELECTED YOUR POSTMASTER IN 1972, THE VOLUME OF INCOMING MAIL HAS INCREASED FOURFOLD, THE NUMBER OF BUILDINGS SERVED HAS INCREASED BY 50%, THE NUMBER OF MAIL STOPS SERVED HAS GROWN BY 61%, AND WE HAVE ADDED A TOTAL OF 17 ADDITIONAL SERVICES. HAD OUR EMPLOYMENT INCREASED IN THE SAME Statement of Robert V. Rota REQUIRE THE SERVICES OF MORE THAN 400 MAIL HANDLERS. WITH THE ADVENT OF MAIL ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITY THAT THAT ENTAILS IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT EMPLOYEES BE PROPERLY TRAINED IN THE OPERATION OF THE NEW MACHINERY ACQUIRED TO ACCURATELY AND EFFICIENTLY HANDLE THE DAILY ACCOUNTING AND RECORDING OF ANY "DROPPED" FRANKED OUTGOING MAIL, REGARDLESS OF ITS CLASS. CHANGING NATURE OF CONGRESSIONAL MAIL AND MAIL VOLUME STATISTICS EVEN THOUGH ORGANIZED MAILINGS HAVE DECLINED IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, WE CONTINUE TO Statement of Robert V. Rota FOR CARRIERS -- THE POSTAL SERVICE FIGURES ONLY SHOW ONE PART OF THE TOTAL INCOMING MAIL VOLUME. EXAMPLE, THE POSTAL SERVICE REPORTS A BOX OF MAIL AS A SINGLE UNIT WHEN IN FACT THAT BOX MAY CONTAIN 500 OR MORE ENVELOPES. THESE STATISTICS, SUPPLIED BY THE POSTAL SERVICE, GROSSLY UNDERCOUNT MAIL DELIVERED THROUGH THEIR FACILITIES. OF COURSE, POSTAL SERVICE FIGURES DO NOT INCLUDE "DEAR COLLEAGUE" AND OTHER INSIDE MAIL OR MAIL HANDLED THROUGH OUR COURIER SERVICES TO THE WHITE HOUSE, SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINSTRATION, STATE DEPARTMENT, PASSPORT OFFICE, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, AND FOREIGN EMBASSIES. NEITHER DO THE POSTAL SERVICE FIGURES REFLECT THE MULTITUDE OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE ITEMS, RANGING FROM CONGRESSIONAL RECORDS TO CALENDARS, THAT ARE DELIVERED BY THE OFFICE OF THE POSTMASTER DAILY. DESPITE THE FACT THAT POSTAL SERVICE FIGURES |