House bill would ease budget strains on Postal Service

By ALAN FRAM
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House is close to approving a bipartisan bill that would lift onerous budget requirements that have helped push the Postal Service deeply into debt. The measure would require the service to continue delivering mail six days per week. And it would have to set up an online site that people could search by zip code to see how quickly letters and packages are delivered. The election-year bill comes at at a time of widespread complaints about slower mail service. The Senate is working on similar legislation. The Postal Service is supposed to be self-financing but has suffered 14 straight years of losses