Norcross Introduces Legislation to Reverse Postal Rate Hike that Penalized Our Troops

Care Packages for Our Heroes Act of 2019 Allows Nonprofits to Continue Spreading More Cheer

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) introduced the Care Packages for Our Heroes Act, H.R. 400, to ensure that our nonprofit organizations that send care packages to American military members serving overseas are not negatively impacted by dramatic increases to U.S. postal rates.

“We should do everything in our power to lift the spirits of the brave men and women who are serving our country overseas – not place obstacles in the way of those trying to support our troops,” said Congressman Donald Norcross. “In an effort to cut costs, the postal service’s change last year penalized our servicemembers, their families and nonprofits who wanted to provide cheer. This bill will get rid of added costs and allow our nonprofits to go back to sending more care packages to more heroes.”

The Act directs the Postal Regulatory Commission to adapt the pricing model used for packages shipped by priority mail from the United States to a foreign Army Post Office (APO), Fleet Post Office (FPO) or Diplomatic Post Office (DPO).

Last year, there were consolidations of United States Postal Service (USPS) centers that process APO and FPO military mail. Following the mergers, nonprofits and other organizations that send care packages to U.S. troops overseas have been stuck paying additional domestic postage rates for items re-routed through multiple zones before being shipped overseas.

Operation Yellow Ribbon of South Jersey had to reduce the amount of packages they sent to our servicemembers in 2018 because of the added cost created by the USPS consolidations.

“This legislation will ensure that loved ones, family members and military support groups and nonprofits are not impacted by a logistics change to military mail service to overseas military bases,” said Dave Silver, president of Operation Yellow Ribbon of South Jersey.

Click here to read the full text of the Care Packages for Our Heroes Act of 2019. Last year, Norcross was a co-sponsor of the Care Packages for Our Heroes Act of 2018.

###