V/O 00:50 'B' ROLL OF GRIMES, CALIF. POST OFFICE THERE ARE PLENTY OF PARKING SPACES IN FRONT OF POST OFFICES AROUND THE COUNTRY V/O AMERICANS AREN'T MAILING AS MANY LETTERS AS THEY USED TO FIRST CLASS MAIL IS DOWN 25 PERCENT SINCE 2006 ITS' PREDICTED TO DROP BY ALMOST HALF BY 2020. V/O POSTAL 'B' ROLL THE POSTAL SERVICE PLANS TO CLOSE MORE THAN 200 PROCESSING PLANTS OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS-SAVING 2 BILLION DOLLARS-THE FIRST WILL SHUT DOWN THIS SUMMER V/O DC POSTAL UNION THE AMERICAN POSTAL WORKERS UNION SAYS IT WILL FIGHT: CLIFF GUFFEY, PRESIDENT, AMERICAN POSTAL WORKERS UNION 15:41:46: ''TO DETERIORATE THE SERVICE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, INDIVIDUALS, THE CITIZENS IN THIS COUNTRY,I THINK IS UNCONSCIONABLE WHEN THE POSTAL SERVICE IS MADE FOR THOSE PEOPLE.'' V/O POST OFFICE SIGN WITH FLOWERS IN FRONT THE MOVE COMES AFTER THE POSTAL SERVICE DECIDED TO SHORTEN THE HOURS OF RURAL POST OFFICES-RATHER THAN CLOSE THEM COMPLETELY: ROSE ANN ELLIS, RESIDENT OF GRIMES, CALIFORNIA "WE'RE RURAL AND WE'RE SO FAR AWAY FROM EVERYTHING. WE NEED TO KEEP EVERY SMALL POST OFFICE GOING. NOT SOMEWHERE ELSE. WE NEED THEM RIGHT HERE." V/O 'B' ROLL OF CAPITOL CONGRESSIONAL EFFORTS TO REFORM THE POSTAL SERVICE HAVE STALLED SOT: SENATOR TOM CARPER/D-DEL. THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO A BUNCH OF THINGS WE HAVENT ALLOWED THEM TO DO HISTORICALLY--FOR EXAMPLE--SHIP WINE AND BEER--FED EX PEOPLE DO IT--UPS PEOPLE DO IT. V/O CAN LET CARPER RUN CARPER HELPED PUSH THROUGH A SENATE BILL TO DELAY THE POSTAL CLOSINGS V/O HOUSE FLOOR A PUSH IN THE HOUSE FOR MORE AGGRESSIVE CUTS HAS GONE NOWHERE. V/O 00:19 SHOT OF TRACTOR/AND SHOT OF BARN MEANWHILE IN THE SMALL FARMING TOWN OF GRIMES CALIFORNIA, POPULATION 700, RESIDENTS WORRY: SOT: BARBARA ESPOSITO - GRIMES RESIDENT "WE DON'T HAVE MUCH LEFT IN TOWN ANYMORE AND THE POST OFFICE IS A VITAL PART OF IT. IT REALLY, REALLY IS. I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED." V/O WOMAN WALKS INTO POST OFFICE 1:45 INTO FILE JB AP WASHINGTON