WASHINGTON, Feb 11, 2004 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Michael J. Critelli, Chairman and CEO of Pitney Bowes Inc. (NYSE: PBI), the world's leading provider of integrated mail and document management systems and services, today urged Congressional passage of a series of unprecedented reforms to the U.S. Postal Service.

In testimony before the House Special Panel on Postal Reform and Oversight, Critelli explained that reforms are needed to enable the U.S. Postal Service to become a "booster of economic growth." The U.S. Postal Service provides the critical core of the $900 billion U.S. mailing industry, employing 9 million people and representing 8% of the country's gross domestic product.

Critelli highlighted several legislative reform measures including, enhancing private sector partnerships through worksharing discounts and encouraging the increased use of technology as a means of increasing the mail's value, reducing costs, and improving mail security.

"Total mail system costs can be reduced, the network's efficiency improved, and mail made more affordable through partnerships with the private sector. Estimates are that at least $15 billion in potential U.S. Postal Service costs have already been shifted through discounts to private industry mailers and intermediaries," said Critelli, who also chairs the Mailing Industry CEO Council, a nonprofit organization that focuses on unifying the mailing industry and promoting the critical role that mail plays in business and commerce. "Ultimately, if work sharing discounts can drive lower cost, while requiring partners to meet the U.S. Postal Service's demanding quality standards, the public, the U.S. Postal Service, and the mailing industry will all benefit. Lower cost mail will create more jobs for the U.S. Postal Service, the mailing industry, and organizations that use the mail to help them grow."

"Technology will be key to increasing the value of mail, reducing costs, and improving security. The heart of this vision is putting intelligence in the mail -- the use of data rich, machine-readable information to uniquely mark each mail piece with the sender, recipient and other information," Critelli continued. "This will increase the value of mail and reduce postal system costs. It will also improve mail security at the lowest additional cost. The traceability of 'sender identified mail' deters the use of mail as a terrorist weapon because those who seek to use the mail for such purposes do so anonymously in order to evade detection. The Postal Service recognizes that this technology can be a valuable tool in detecting and deterring attacks through the mail by ensuring traceability of mail to the sender."

Critelli supported several other legislative measures that would: reinforce the U.S. Postal Services mission to maintain universal physical mail service, maintain price stability while increasing pricing flexibility, and enhance U.S. Postal Service management by instituting performance measures.

Pitney Bowes is the world's leading provider of integrated mail and document management systems, services and solutions. The $4.6 billion company helps organizations of all sizes engineer the flow of communications to reduce costs and increase impact, and enhance customer relationships. The company's 80-plus years of technological leadership has produced many major innovations in the mailing industry and more than 3,500 active patents, with applications in a variety of markets including printing, shipping, encryption, and financial services. With approximately 33,000 employees worldwide, Pitney Bowes serves more than two million businesses through direct and dealer operations.

     Contact: Pat Kinney
              Gaffney Bennett PR
              (860) 225-7526
              pkinney@gaffneybennett.com

SOURCE Pitney Bowes

Pat Kinney of Gaffney Bennett PR, +1-860-225-7526,
pkinney@gaffneybennett.com

http://www.pitneybowes.com