Congress Calls On Postmaster General To Reverse Policies That Are Slowing USPS Down

With COVID-19, or the novel coronavirus, pandemic putting the world in quarantine to combat the spread of the virus, many have wondered what this means for the upcoming election in November. There has been growing concern about the United States Postal Service staying afloat as President Donald Trump refuses to sign off on providing more aid to the public service.

Now a group of more than 100 members of Congress, led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, is calling for the Postmaster General to reverse new Trump policies causing issues within the postal service.

Since the appointment of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, the organization has undergone a series a changes—from having mail sorting machines removed at various locations to instituting a hiring freeze that has slowed down overall operations.

“We believe these changes, made during the middle of a once-in-a-century pandemic, now threaten the timely delivery of mail—including medicines for seniors, paychecks for workers, and absentee ballots for voters that is essential to millions of Americans,” wrote the members of Congress in a letter to DeJoy, calling the cost-cutting measures “counterproductive and unacceptable.”

“It is always essential that the Postal Service be able to deliver mail in a timely and effective manner,” the letter continued. “During the once-in-a-century health and economic crisis of COVID-19, the Postal Service’s smooth functioning is a matter of life-or-death, and is critical for protecting lives, livelihoods and the life of our American Democracy.”

DeJoy, who has been revealed to be a major Trump donor, has responded by stating the policies were put in place to make operations more effective.

“This organizational change will capture operating efficiencies by providing clarity and economies of scale that will allow us to reduce our cost base and capture new revenue,” said DeJoy in a statement.

“It is crucial that we do what is within our control to help us successfully complete our mission to serve the American people and, through the universal service obligation, bind our nation together by maintaining and operating our unique, vital, and resilient infrastructure.”