Rep. Mike Thompson Commends American Legion for Stance Against Closing Veterans Home Post Office
September 21, 2011
Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-1) today commended the American Legion for their stance against closing a veterans home post office in Yountville, California. During a Joint House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Hearing today, American Legion Chairman Michael Helm voiced his opposition to the potential closing of the post office. Thompson, who represents the Yountville veterans home, has helped lead the effort against its closure.
“The thought of closing the Yountville veterans home post office is a slap in the face to every veteran who has served our nation,” said Rep. Thompson. “The closing of this post office would impose an extraordinary inconvenience on many veterans' lives. Access to this post office is imperative to these veterans, many of whom are aged and disabled, not only to pick up mail and packages, but also to pick up their needed prescription medicine.”
“The American Legion opposes closing the Yountville veterans home post office based on the impact it would have on these veterans,” said Chairman Helm. “To get to the next nearest post office, the veterans in the Yountville home would have to cross railroad tracks and under a state highway. We should not be asking our nations veterans, some with dementia and in wheelchairs, to shoulder such enormous burden just to have access their post office.”
Earlier this year, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) released a list of approximately 3,700 post offices that would be considered for closure. Among them is the post office at the Yountville Veterans Home located in Yountville, CA. This is the only post office on the potential closure list that is located in a veterans Home. The postal service estimates that the closure of the Yountville Veterans Home post office would only save approximately $1,000 per year.
“I am very disappointed to hear the Post Office at the Yountville Veterans Home is on the list for possible closure,” said Secretary Peter Gravett, California Department of Veterans Affairs (CDVA). “The residents at Yountville depend on this service and many of them receive their prescriptions by mail through the Post Office at the Home because they have no other means of transportation or are disabled. I strongly urge the Postmaster General to reconsider closing this location. The veterans at Yountville have fought and risked their lives for this country and the United States Postal Service needs to take that into further consideration. CDVA is committed to working with the elected officials and the Postmaster General to ensure this Post Office is removed from the potential closure list.”
The Yountville veterans home is one of the oldest in the nation and currently houses over 1,000 veterans. The veterans represent every era of warrior from World War II to the present conflicts. The residents range from those who are in the final stages of their life to those who are trying to adjust from Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Thompson wrote to Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe urging that he reconsider closing the post office. He has also requested that the USPS conducts an analysis of the costs and benefits that would result from closing the veterans home post office, as well as an analysis of how veterans would be affected by the closure. The Napa County Board of Supervisors has also sent a letter to the Postmaster General opposing the closing of the post office.
“I recognize that the Postal Service faces difficult decisions, but I am distressed by the proposal to close the post office located at the Yountville Veterans Home,” said Rep. Jerry McNerney (CA-11) a senior member on the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. “More than 1,000 veterans live at this facility, and I am pleased to work with Congressman Thompson and the American Legion on their behalf. Ensuring that our veterans have access to simple, yet critical, resources such as mail service is essential.”
Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California's 1st Congressional District, which includes the Counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma, Napa, and Yolo. He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rep. Thompson is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and sits on the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus.
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“The thought of closing the Yountville veterans home post office is a slap in the face to every veteran who has served our nation,” said Rep. Thompson. “The closing of this post office would impose an extraordinary inconvenience on many veterans' lives. Access to this post office is imperative to these veterans, many of whom are aged and disabled, not only to pick up mail and packages, but also to pick up their needed prescription medicine.”
“The American Legion opposes closing the Yountville veterans home post office based on the impact it would have on these veterans,” said Chairman Helm. “To get to the next nearest post office, the veterans in the Yountville home would have to cross railroad tracks and under a state highway. We should not be asking our nations veterans, some with dementia and in wheelchairs, to shoulder such enormous burden just to have access their post office.”
Earlier this year, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) released a list of approximately 3,700 post offices that would be considered for closure. Among them is the post office at the Yountville Veterans Home located in Yountville, CA. This is the only post office on the potential closure list that is located in a veterans Home. The postal service estimates that the closure of the Yountville Veterans Home post office would only save approximately $1,000 per year.
“I am very disappointed to hear the Post Office at the Yountville Veterans Home is on the list for possible closure,” said Secretary Peter Gravett, California Department of Veterans Affairs (CDVA). “The residents at Yountville depend on this service and many of them receive their prescriptions by mail through the Post Office at the Home because they have no other means of transportation or are disabled. I strongly urge the Postmaster General to reconsider closing this location. The veterans at Yountville have fought and risked their lives for this country and the United States Postal Service needs to take that into further consideration. CDVA is committed to working with the elected officials and the Postmaster General to ensure this Post Office is removed from the potential closure list.”
The Yountville veterans home is one of the oldest in the nation and currently houses over 1,000 veterans. The veterans represent every era of warrior from World War II to the present conflicts. The residents range from those who are in the final stages of their life to those who are trying to adjust from Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Thompson wrote to Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe urging that he reconsider closing the post office. He has also requested that the USPS conducts an analysis of the costs and benefits that would result from closing the veterans home post office, as well as an analysis of how veterans would be affected by the closure. The Napa County Board of Supervisors has also sent a letter to the Postmaster General opposing the closing of the post office.
“I recognize that the Postal Service faces difficult decisions, but I am distressed by the proposal to close the post office located at the Yountville Veterans Home,” said Rep. Jerry McNerney (CA-11) a senior member on the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. “More than 1,000 veterans live at this facility, and I am pleased to work with Congressman Thompson and the American Legion on their behalf. Ensuring that our veterans have access to simple, yet critical, resources such as mail service is essential.”
Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California's 1st Congressional District, which includes the Counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma, Napa, and Yolo. He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rep. Thompson is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and sits on the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus.
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Issues:Veterans