21st Century Postal Service Act: Senators Propose Beer, Wine Delivery To Generate Revenue

The eagle is struggling to fly.

Growing financial grief has placed the U.S. Postal Service in a difficult bind. As it plans to close hundreds of mail processing facilities and lay off thousands of workers, four senators have formulated a plan to revive the struggling agency.

On Sunday evening, Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Tom Carper (D-Del.), and Scott Brown (R-Mass.) wrote an editorial for Politico, stressing how the absence of traditional mail would be a major detriment to the economy.

Among the possible revenue solutions they have on the table: the ability to let the Postal Service ship beer and wine. The senators included this idea in their 21st Century Postal Service Act, which was proposed back in November.

Alcohol and the Postal Service have been separate for centuries. A Billings Gazette editorial notes that the delivery policy banning booze dates back to a Prohibition-era restriction. The Politico editorial pointed out that competitors like UPS and FedEx already have shipping options for beer and wine, sparking a competitive reason for the Postal Service to change its stance.