RALEIGH, (SGRToday.com) - First class mail continues to  decline in volume while expenses continue to grow, and those trends are driving a deterioration of the U.S. Postal Service's financial condition.

The conclusion comes from a new Government Accountability Office report.

"Congress faces difficult choices and tradeoffs to address USPS's financial challenges," the report summary reads. "The status quo is not sustainable. Considerations for Congress include the (1) level of postal services provided to the public and the affordability of those services, (2) compensation and benefits for USPS employees and retirees in an environment of revenue pressures, and (3) tension between USPS's dual roles as an independent establishment of the executive branch required to provide universal delivery service and as a self-financing entity operating in a businesslike manner."

Read the full GAO report at gao.gov.