LISA: IN OUR RELATIVELY YOUNG COUNTRY, IT IS ONE OF THE OLDEST INSTITUTIONS WE HAVE.

THE U.S.

POSTAL SERVICE TURNS 250 TODAY.

THE AGENCY IS DEEPLY INTERTWINED WITH THIS NATION'S HISTORY AND HAS BEEN CRITICAL TO ITS GROWTH.

BUT WITH ANNUAL NET LOSSES NEARING $10 BILLION, THIS TIME OF CELEBRATION IS ALSO ONE OF CONCERN.

I WENT TO THE NATIONAL POSTAL MUSEUM IN WASHINGTON DC TO ASK HOW REGULAR AMERICANS SEE THEIR - - AMERICANS SEE WHAT MANY CALL THE POST OFFICE.

>> EVERYTHING'S NOW ON THE PHONE AND YOU'RE SENDING TEXTS AND MESSAGES BUT LIKE BEING ABLE TO GET A LETTER IN THE MAIL AND BE LIKE YAY I GOT A LETTER, IT'S THE BEST.

>> I THINK IT IS CRITICAL BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY PLACES IN AMERICA THAT ARE MORE REMOTE, AND YOUR COMMERCIAL CARRIERS CAN'T REALLY REACH THOSE PLACES.

>> I DON'T WANT EVERYTHING TO BE COMING TO ME ELECTRONICALLY.

SOMETIMES YOU WANT PAPER, YOU WANT SOMETHING TANGIBLE.

>> I GUESS IT'S LOSING MONEY, BUT I WOULD SAY IT'S STILL WORTH IT BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS THERE FOR YOU.

LISA: HANSI LO WANG IS A CORRESPONDENT FOR NPR AND COVERS THE U.S.

POSTAL SERVICE.

LET ME START WITH THE BIG BIRTHDAY QUESTION.

HOW DOES THE POSTAL SERVICE FIT IN THE WAY THIS COUNTRY SEES ITSELF?

HANSI: THE U.S.

POSTAL SERVICE PLAYS A ROLE IN THE DAILY LIVES OF SO MANY PEOPLE.

IT HAS BEEN THE CASE GOING BACK TO 250 YEARS AGO, BEFORE THE FOUNDING OF THIS COUNTRY, WHEN THE SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS SET UP BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AS A POSTMASTER GENERAL, AND YOU HAD HORSEBACK RIDERS DELIVERING MAIL TO THE 13 COLONIES, AND TO TODAY THE U.S.

POSTAL SERVICE ON FOOT, PLANE, BY MULE, THE BOTTOM OF THE GRAND CANYON, AND SIX DAYS A WEEK OF SERVICE OF LETTERS, MAILS, BILLS, DEDICATION -- BILLS, MEDICATION, PACKAGES THAT SO MANY PEOPLE RELY ON THROUGH THEIR MAIL CARRIER.

LISA: THE POSTAL SERVICE IS NOT GOING AWAY.

BY LAW IT MUST DELIVER MAIL SIX DAYS A WEEK.

THE FUTURE IS NOT CLEAR.

THEY OPERATE ALMOST ENTIRELY OFF OF THEIR OWN REVENUE, NOT TAXPAYER DOLLARS.

CAN YOU HELP US UNDERSTAND THE FISCAL CHALLENGE HERE?

HANSI: TWO MAIN THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND IS THE AMOUNT OF MAIL IN THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN ON THE DECLINE FOR ABOUT TWO DECADES SINCE 2006.

THAT IS A REALLY DISRUPTIVE TREND TO THE POSTAL SERVICE THAT GENERALLY RECEIVES NO TAX DOLLARS TO KEEP IT RUNNING, AND LIVES ON STAMP SALES AND SERVICE FEES.

THE OTHER MAIN THING TO KEEP IN MIND, THAT IS IN THE WEEDS BUT A KEY PART IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT THE FINANCIAL BOOKS OF THE POSTAL SERVICE, WHY YOU SEE THESE LAWSUITS, IS THAT CONGRESS PASSED UNIQUE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE POSTAL SERVICE TO PRE-FUND RETIREMENT AND HEALTH BENEFITS FOR RETIRED POSTAL WORKERS.

THAT HAS BEEN SADDLING THE FINANCES OF A POSTAL SERVICE THAT HAS ALSO BEEN SEEING A CHANGING UNITED STATES WITH DIFFERENT WAYS OF COMMUNICATING.

LISA: THE CURRENT POSTMASTER GENERAL HAS SAID HE, JUST IN THE LAST WEEK, HE DOES NOT WANT TO PRIVATIZE.

HE WANTS TO KEEP THIS AS AN INDEPENDENT AGENCY.

BUT PRESIDENT TRUMP, WE KNOW IN THE PAST AND IN HIS CURRENT PRESIDENCY HAS INDICATED HE MAY BE INTERESTED IN PRIVATIZATION OR SOMEHOW TAKING OVER THE POSTAL SERVICE INTO ANOTHER AGENCY.

DOES HE HAVE THE POWER TO DO THAT POTENTIALLY?

HANSI: BY LAW, THE PRESIDENT DOES NOT HAVE THE POWER TO PRIVATIZE, TO TAKE OVER WHAT CONGRESS SET UP TO BE AN INDEPENDENT FEDERAL AGENCY.

IT IS PART OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, BUT IT IS RUN BY A BOARD OF GOVERNORS.

THOSE BOARDS, THOSE GOVERNORS ARE APPOINTED, NOMINATED BY THE PRESIDENT, BUT THEY HAVE TO BE CONFIRMED BY THE SENATE.

BUT ULTIMATELY THOSE GOVERNORS ARE THE ONES WHO PICK THE POSTMASTER GENERAL, WHO REALLY HELP GUIDE THE DIRECTION OF THE POSTAL SERVICE ACCORDING TO FEDERAL LAW, AND A LOT OF OTHER REQUIREMENTS.

AND SO ALL THE TALK COMING FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ABOUT POTENTIALLY LOOKING INTO PRIVATIZING OR FOLDING IT INTO THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT, THAT'S BEEN ANOTHER IDEA THAT'S FLOATED, THOSE WOULD RUN INTO LEGAL CHALLENGES.

LISA: HELP US UNDERSTAND THE STAKES FOR THIS DEBATE OVER THE POSTAL SERVICE IF IT'S ABLE TO STAY AS IT IS, OR IF IT DOES NEED SIGNIFICANT CHANGE?

HANSI: IN THE AGE OF THE INTERNET, IT CAN BE REALLY EASY TO TAKE THE POSTAL SERVICE FOR GRANTED, NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY, ACROSS THE COUNTRY ESPECIALLY IN RURAL COMMUNITIES THAT DEPEND ON THE POSTAL SERVICES FOR THEIR MEDICATION, TO MAIL, TO RECEIVE VOTING BALLOTS, TO RECEIVE PAYMENTS.

THIS IS AN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THE COUNTRY STILL RELIES ON, THAT THE ECONOMY STILL RELIES ON TO SEND PACKAGES AS WELL.

IT REACHES EVERY ADDRESS IN THE COUNTRY, AND SO THE STAKES ARE VERY HIGH WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT POTENTIALLY DISMANTLING IT OR CHANGING IT IN DRAMATIC WAYS.

SO MANY PEOPLE, SO MANY PARTS OF THE COUNTRY RELY ON IT, BUT AGAIN, IT IS RUNNING INTO THESE CHALLENGES AT A TIME WHEN THE COUNTRY, HOW IT COMMUNICATES IS SO DIFFERENT FROM WHEN THE POSTAL SERVICE GOT STARTED.

LISA: HANZI LO WANG, ALWAYS ILLUMINATING TALKING WITH YOU.

THANK YOU.

HANSI: YOU'RE WELCOME.

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