Based upon the GOP takeover of Congress on Tuesday, Rep. Darrel Issa (R-CA) is now set to lead the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, a panel with wide jurisdiction over government operations, federal workers, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Postal Service.

The Oversight committee also will turn its attention to the cash-strapped Postal Service, with Issa vowing to find a way to make it profitable again while keeping first-class stamp prices below 50 cents.

"There are too many postal workers, too many distribution centers, too many post offices and a reluctance to make those changes," he said, casting some of the blame on lawmakers who have worked to save hometown post offices from possible closure.

House and Senate Democrats have introduced bills that would grant the Postal Service more flexibility to close post offices, set delivery schedules, raise prices above the rate of inflation and adjust its retiree pension obligations. Issa does not support any of those proposals, but signaled Tuesday he's looking for something substantive to support.

"Everybody who mails a stamp realizes that we could end up with a huge government bailout if we don't fix it. That's billions of dollars we need to pay attention to," he said.

Source: Federal Eye - Washington Post