The United States Postal Service on Wednesday asked Congress for permission to stop delivering mail on Saturdays, citing drastic cyclical conditions as well as the continuing secular decline in “snail mail”.

The move, which would be likely to provoke a backlash from the American public, would help stave off projected losses in 2009 of more than $6bn (€4.6bn, £4.2bn), said John E. Potter, the postmaster-general, in testimony to Congress.