Government

Pushing the Envelope Podcast

Pushing the Envelope is the official podcast of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. Explore the stories behind our audits, investigations, and insights. Listen regularly to learn how the USPS OIG is protecting America’s mail system from fraud, waste, and abuse.

Latest Episodes:

The Role and Value of the U.S. Postal Service in Rural America Sep 30, 2026

Show notes

In our debut episode, we sit down with research analyst Teresa Kline, one of the driving forces behind our new white paper, The Role and Value of the U.S. Postal Service in Rural America.

This paper explores the non‑financial social value the Postal Service provides across 21 million rural delivery points. Public conversations often focus on financial balance sheets — where nearly two‑thirds of rural post offices operate at a deficit. In this episode, we discuss how the paper looks beyond costs to examine USPS’s broader contributions. By maintaining uniform rates, delivering prescriptions to areas with pharmacy shortages, and supporting mail‑in voting, USPS delivers meaningful public benefits across four key areas for rural customers: community, economy, health, and civic participation.

Tune in for an insightful conversation that brings the real value of rural mail service into focus.

Click here for the episode's transcript