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Today, the United States Postal Service (USPS) will default on a payment that it should have never been required to pay. Legislation passed by Congress in 2006 requires the USPS to prefund retirement benefits up to 75 years in advance. On the House Floor, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) called this a "manufactured default" and said that Congress is "presiding over the disestablishment of the Postal Service."

See Congressman Kucinich on the House Floor here . Congressman Kucinich also spoke at length about the Postal Service on Democracy Now. See that interview here . The full text of Congressman Kucinich's remarks on the House Floor follows.

Article 1, Section 8, Clause 7 of the U.S. Constitution gives Congress the responsibility to establish and ensure operation of the Postal Service.

Today, August 1, 2012 - 224 years after the Constitution was ratified - Congress is presiding over the disestablishment of the Postal Service.

Today a manufactured default created by Congressional legislation is pushing the Postal Service to the brink.



Today the Postal Service will not make a payment that it should never have had to make in the first place to pay for prefunding 75 years of retiree benefits in 10 years. A manufactured default encouraged by banks and other interest groups. A move toward privatization of one of America's most vital services.

The Congress has a responsibility to stand up, but here in the U.S.A., under Citizens United, everything is up for auction including the Postal Service.

Wake up, America. Universal service is on the line. Wake up, America and stand up for the Constitution. 575,000 Postal Service workers and our obligation to the American people to see to it that the Postal Service is rescued from those who want to push it into default or privatize it for their own profit.