I NEED YOUR HELP!

May 4, 2007

Dear Friend,

On February 26, the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) made rate recommendations to the Postal Governors that for "flat" mailings (which includes all the catalogs we mail) will increase the cost to mail catalogs by 25% to 40%. The increase is usually between three (3%) and five (5%) percent.

This will mean the end for many small catalogers.

If this EXTREME rate increase goes into effect, it will be impossible for A. G. Russell^™ Knives and Russell's^™ for Men to continue to do business in the way we have for most of the 43 years we have been in business.

We will have to drastically reduce the number of catalogs we mail or face not surviving.

In addition to the EXTREME increase in our cost to mail catalogs, there will be a large increase in the cost to ship packages to you. Over the past year or so, we have absorbed large increases in shipping costs in the form of fuel surcharges from almost every company we deal with. With this large postage increase, we will have no choice but to raise our shipping charges to you, our customer.

What can you do?
MAKE A PHONE CALL AND WRITE A LETTER.

It is my assumption that you like the selection available and the convenience of buying from catalogs. If you do, we all need your help. I am giving you names, addresses and phone numbers for members of the Postal Oversight Committee in the United States Senate and a list of members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform which has oversight responsibilities for the Postal Service as well. We have indicated the state that each represents.

Please make a phone call to their Washington D.C. office AND write a letter. Both the call and the letter will be noticed. Ask them to request that the PRC re-think this EXTREME postage rate increase. Call and/or write to as many members as you can manage.

Explain that being able to receive catalogs through the mail is important to you. You might also want to express your concern that this will have an adverse affect on the economy with the loss of thousands of jobs due to the decrease in business in the catalog industry. If none of the members listed are from your state, please write to them anyway and explain that this is important to you and why.

Please do not threaten to vote for someone else. That will NOT have a positive effect.

Just scroll down the page for the two different lists with addresses and telephone numbers.

We sincerely appreciate any and all help you are able to offer in getting the Postal Regulatory Commission's attention on this very important issue.

All the best,

A. G. Russell
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House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

Sub committee: Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia

Jurisdiction will include federal employee issues, non-appropriation municipal affairs of the District of Columbia, and the Postal Service, including post office namings, holidays, and celebrations.

Danny K. Davis Illinois-7th, Democrat
2159 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515-1307
Phone: (202) 225-5006 Fax: (202) 225-5641

Eleanor Holmes Norton District of Columbia-Delegate, Democrat
2136 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515-5100
Phone: (202) 225-8050 Fax: (202) 225-3002

John P. Sarbanes Maryland-3rd, Democrat
426 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515-2003
Phone: (202) 225-4016 Fax: (202) 225-9219

Elijah E. Cummings Maryland-7th, Democrat
2235 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515-2007
Phone: (202) 225-4741 Fax: (202) 225-3178

Dennis J. Kucinich Ohio-10th, Democrat
2445 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515-3510
Phone: (202) 225-5871 Fax: (202) 225-5745

Wm. Lacy Clay Missouri-1st, Democrat
434 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515-2501
Phone: (202) 225-2406 Fax: (202) 226-3717

Stephen F. Lynch Massachusetts-9th, Democrat
221 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515-2109
Phone: (202) 225-8273 Fax: (202) 225-3984

Henry A. Waxman California-30th, Democrat
2204 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515-0530
Phone: (202) 225-3976 Fax: (202) 225-4099

Kenny Marchant Texas-24th, Republican
1037 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515-4324
Phone: (202) 225-6605 Fax: (202) 225-0074

John M. McHugh New York-23rd, Republican
2366 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515-3223
Phone: (202) 225-4611 Fax: (202) 226-0621

John L. Mica Florida-7th, Republican
2313 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515-0907
Phone: (202) 225-4035 Fax: (202) 226-0821

Darrell E. Issa California-49th, Republican
211 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515-0549
Phone: (202) 225-3906 Fax: (202) 225-3303

Tom Davis Virginia-11th, Republican
2348 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515-4611
Phone: (202) 225-1492 Fax: (202) 225-3071

Homeland Security Govermental Affairs Committee
Postal Oversight

Contact for Washington D.C. offices
Joseph I. Lieberman Chairman (ID) (CT)
706 Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-4041 Voice
(202) 224-9750 Fax

Carl Levin (MI)
269 Russell Office Building
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510-2202
Phone (202) 224-6221
Fax (202) 224-1388

Daniel K. Akaka (HI)
141 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Tel: (202) 224-6361
Fax: (202) 224-2126

Thomas R. Carper (DE)
513 Hart Building
Washington, DC 20510
phone: 202-224-2441
fax: 202-228-2190

Mark L. Pryor (AR)
257 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2353
Fax: (202) 228-0908

Mary L. Landrieu (LA)
724 Hart Senate Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Voice: (202)224-5824
Fax:(202) 224-9735

Barack Obama (IL)
713 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-2854
(202) 228-4260 fax

Claire McCaskill (MO)
Hart Senate Office Building
SH-717
Washington, DC
(202) 224-6154
FAX (202) 228-6326

Jon Tester (MT)
204 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-2604
Phone: (202) 224-2644
Fax: (202) 224-8594

Susan M. Collins Ranking Member (ME)
413 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Main: (202) 224-2523
Fax: (202) 224-2693

Ted Stevens (AK)
522 Hart Senate Office BLDG
Washington, DC 20510
Main: (202) 224-3004
Fax: (202) 224-2354

George V. Voinovich (OH)
524 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Main: (202) 224-3353

Norm Coleman (MN)
320 Senate Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Main: 202-224-5641
Fax: 202-224-1152

Tom Coburn (OK)
172 Russell Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
Main: 202-224-5754
Fax: 202-224-6008

Pete V. Domenici (NM)
328 Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-6621
(202) 228-3261 Fax

John Warner (VA)
225 Russell Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Telephone:
(202) 224-2023
(202) 224-6295 FAX

John E. Sununu (NH)
111 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-2841
FAX (202) 228-4131