A new bill which may be introduced to Congress soon would prevent the United States Postal Service from contracting delivery of mail and packages to rural areas. Although as of yet only a small percentage of rural deliveries are outsourced in Iowa, Democratic Senator Tom Harkin is concerned that the safety and timely delivery of personal and sensitive packages will be threatened by contracting their handling to the lowest bidder. The issue has become one of the focal points in a struggle between the Postal Service and the National Association of Letter Carriers to hammer out a new contract.
See "Contract delivery of mail under fire", Jane Norman, Des Moines Register, June 3, 2007