Letter to Postmaster Brennan - Don't Mail It In -- Reverse This Destructive Policy

Letter

Dear Postmaster Brennan:

I am concerned about a recent determination made by the U.S. Postal Service ("USPS") to no longer allow the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)'s Canandaigua, New York Medical Center to park the VA's government-owned home visitation vehicles at ten Post Offices within the Canandaigua VA's five-county service areas. As you may know, the Canandaigua VA and USPS has had a parking agreement in place for the past year. I understand the USPS is now revoking this parking agreement with the Canandaigua VA citing security and liability concerns over non-postal GSA vehicles being parked in postal parking lots. However, I believe this action is shortsighted and ask that you reverse this determination and instead allow this policy to continue.

More than 350 veterans and their families receive Home Based Primary Care within this five-county region that includes Orleans County, Monroe County, Livingston County, Wayne County, and Ontario County. Providing this care requires VA medical personnel to drive to the homes of homebound veterans across this region which spans over 100 miles and takes an over two-hour drive to traverse. Over the past year, the Canandaigua VA has parked and staged their government-owned home visitation vehicles at the following ten post offices:

Monroe County: Greece, NY Post Office, Irondequoit Post Office, Churchville Post Office

Wayne County: Macedon PO

Livingston County: Lima PO

Orleans County: Clarendon PO, Holley PO

Ontario County: Victor PO, Farmington PO, Shortsville PO.

The agreement between the Canandaigua VA and USPS has made these home visitations more time and fuel efficient. Further, it has allowed the VA health care staff to see more patients each day by avoiding having to pick up the vehicles each day at the Canandaigua VA. In order to best utilize federally-owned facilities in this five county region it is short sighted for the USPS to now disallow the staging of VA homebased care vehicles.

The VA's home based care visits not only benefit homebound veterans by improving their quality of life by reducing the need for hospital admissions but support family caregivers in their desire to keep their loved one at home. I appreciate your consideration of my request to review and reverse this recent determination.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Schumer

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