Happy Thanksgiving!                               November 21, 2012 

Letter from Louie 

 

Giving thanks for all our blessings
Louis Atkins

Louis Atkins

 

 

 

The purpose of Thanksgiving can be occasionally lost in all the excitement over things like football and turkey, but it is still a time for all of us to reflect and give thanks for the blessings that we have in our daily lives. No matter your circumstance, there is always something for which we can give thanks. While the events surrounding Superstorm Sandy and the post-election partisan bickering may dampen our outlook on life, I truly believe that each and every one of us truly has been graced with something good in our lives.

 

First and foremost, I am thankful for the trust that this membership has placed in me to guide this organization. The reason NAPS exists is to promote the overall welfare and defend the livelihoods of its members. The fact that you, the membership have given me the opportunity to serve you is a blessing to which I will never be able to say thank you to enough.

 

I am thankful for our membership and the talented, driven individuals within our ranks. I have always believed that we have several of the USPS' best and brightest within NAPS. Our members have unique perspective in that they are not too detached from what is happening "on the ground" while also understanding the big picture. I have always felt that this gives us an edge in discussing the issues facing the USPS and attacking those problems in a pragmatic manner. 

 

Through our membership, this organization has worked diligently to promote the long term interests of the Postal Service, not only through their efforts in the workplace, but through their efforts on Capitol Hill. NAPS has been working to ensure that Members of Congress know what is at stake when it comes to the future of the United States Postal Service and why its long-term prosperity must become a national priority. 

 

Finally, I am thankful for my family. Bonita has truly been my rock through thick and thin and I couldn't imagine anyone else who I would want to have as my partner and best friend. I am thankful for the joy that my children Ronnie and Krystal bring into my life and for the happiness that my seemingly growing grandson has brought me.

                

I ask every one of you, no matter where you are to simply sit back, and reflect on what you have to be thankful about. No matter how insignificant these things may seem at first, these are the blessings that make life truly special and worth living.

Jay's Notes
 
Full Speed Ahead to the LTS
Jay New
Jay Killackey

 

 

Now that we know the composition of the new Congress, NAPS is developing the agenda for the 2013 Legislative Training Seminar scheduled for April 7-10, 2013 at the Crystal City Marriott in Arlington, Virginia. A registration form for the 2013 Legislative Training Seminar can be found in the upcoming edition of The Postal Supervisor.

 

Our efforts in supporting candidates in the last election were very successful. Over 160 candidates who received financial support from NAPS were elected or re-elected. Of this larger number, there are 44 new members of Congress that NAPS supported who will be coming to Washington for the first time as members of Congress.

 

Our list of friends and supporters in Congress should be greater this year and we will look to take advantage of the friendships we have developed with both returning and newly seated members of Congress.

 

As citizen lobbyists, NAPS delegates will be tasked with educating both "rookies" and veterans on Capitol Hill. We will be working closely with the newly formed House and Senate committees who have jurisdiction over the Postal Service in advance of the LTS and will have developed the most comprehensive information for delegates to take to the hill.

 

At the time we went to press with this issue, the Lame Duck session of Congress had not agreed on legislation to resolve the Postal Service's financial crisis. This leaves the difficult decisions that need to be made up to the next session of Congress.

 

As the Postal Service continues its' own efforts to recover through the implementation of cuts in staffing and network capabilities, the final solution to the Postal Service's financial crisis will be a legislative solution. NAPS members need to exert all the influence we can on those who will deliberate and pass postal legislation in the next session of Congress.

 

Make plans now to join with delegates from throughout the country to participate in democracy and attend the 2013 Legislative Training Seminar and become a member of the Continuing Contributor Club by giving to SPAC through payroll deduction.


Call the toll-free NAPS hotline:
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SPAC Alert 

 

Have you donated to SPAC? With the November elections approaching, it is essential that all of our members take ownership of their future and elect Members of Congress who make the Postal Service a priority.

 

Visit our Legislative Center's SPAC section  at www.naps.org to learn the many ways  to donate, including how to make a recurring contribution via your USPS paycheck or through your OPM retirement allotment. 

 

You can also click here to make a secure contribution via credit card.

 

  

Quote of the Issue!  

  

Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.    

 

  -Abraham Lincoln

Brian's Scoop

  

Associate Article Assistance

 

 

Brian Wagner

 

When members read their Postal Supervisor magazine, they will see articles from the Resident Officers, Regional and Area Vice Presidents, Postmasters, our NAPS legislative counsel, and NAPS Auxiliary. Who's missing? Here is the scoop!

 

In the December 24, 2010 issue of NAPSHQ2U, I wrote that NAPS HQ was looking for an Associate member to volunteer and write or coordinate the submission of associate member related articles for publication in The Postal Supervisor magazine.  

 

We did have a volunteer, but that person has unfortunately been unable to continue due to personal reasons. Therefore, we are asking again for an associate to step up as the new Associate Member Article Chairperson. It is a great title, but does not come with compensation or business cards.

 

However, what it does come with is the ability to share your NAPS and USPS experiences, knowledge, and counsel as an associate member with our entire organization. NAPS HQ wants associate members to have their voice heard in the Postal Supervisor magazine on a regular basis on issues affecting them. If you are an associate member and are interested in accepting this voluntary chairpersonship to coordinate the writing of associate member articles, please contact me at [email protected].

 

As we celebrate the Thanksgiving Day Holiday, I want to thank all our active and associate members for their dedication to NAPS. A big "THANKS" goes out to our NAPS auxiliary for their hard work on behalf of our organization. In addition, I want to thank our active military men and women and veteran's for their service to our country.

 

Finally, I am thankful to be able to provide you with my ice cream flavor of the week recommendation-Pumpkin pie.

Seth's Slant

 

Reaching out to Congress

Seth

Seth Lennon

 

 

During the course of our last few HQ2U's- our Resident Officers have been hammering home the importance of "Voting Postal" leading up to the November elections. 

 

With the stage set for the 113th Congress that is due to be sworn in on January 3rd, electoral politics will hopefully (for a little bit) take a back seat to policy making. An issue that will take center stage will be the drafting of Postal Reform legislation. 

 

Over the last couple of years, NAPS has achieved remarkable legislative successes such as passage of H.R 22 and S. 1789. These successes were enabled primarily by NAPS members aggressively engaging their lawmakers and using their voice to illustrate the benefits of these proposed items. With another fight in store for us, the obvious question is: "How do we fight this fight and what tools are at your disposal?"

 

The answer to that question is simple- go to the Legislative Center at NAPS.org and look at the various options at your disposal. The most important tool for the purposes of our discussion is the CapWiz Legislative Advocacy software suite. 

 

CapWiz gives us the ability to coordinate a targeted email campaign not only to lawmakers, but to their staff. 

 

Where CapWiz truly helps our members is how it provides a basic template for a letter to your representative that you can build around. While the "meat" of the letter will be constructed by our Legislative team, the ability exists for a member to personalize and customize their communications and add a distinctive personal touch.

 

As we proceed into the new Congress, the time is going to come where our members are going to have to react quickly to the changing climate in Washington as Postal legislation develops.