Mississippi Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith both voted to support H.R. 3076, the Postal Reform Act, which will provide needed relief for the U.S. Postal Service after 15 years of being required to pre-fund billions in obligations.

Leadership of the Mississippi Press Association said the bill passage is welcomed by community newspaper media who rely on the Postal Service for delivery of their printed products.

“This is a very positive development for the postal service and the scores of community newspapers in Mississippi and the thousands across the nation that rely on USPS for delivery of their products to readers,” said MPA President Jack Ryan, publisher and editor of the Enterprise-Journal in McComb. “We are grateful to Senators Wicker and Hyde-Smith for their support of this bill.”

“The obligations that the postal service has been saddled with for years have nearly crippled the agency, threatening further erosion in service and reduction in delivery days. It was a tremendous risk to small businesses everywhere,” said MPA Executive Director Layne Bruce. “Now Congress has leveled the playing field for USPS so that its financial budgeting and obligations operate like other federal agencies.”

The bill now goes to the desk of President Joe Biden.

As one of the Mississippi’s oldest trade or professional associations, MPA represents over 100 print newspaper and digital media organizations in the state.