Senators Shaheen, Hassan & Colleagues Call on Postmaster General to Testify Before Congress
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan joined their colleagues today in calling on Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to answer questions about his significant operational changes, which are leading to serious delays for postal customers in New Hampshire and across the country. The Senators called on Postmaster General DeJoy to testify before Congress and provide clear, transparent answers on service delays that have caused seniors and veterans to miss their prescription medications, small businesses to lose money, and other serious disruptions that affect communities across the country who count on the Postal Service for timely delivery.
“In the weeks since you began to implement these changes, we have seen a steep increase in constituent concerns about mail delays, including restricted mail movement, limitations on carriers’ abilities to timely deliver mail, and most concerning, risks to receipt of critical mail involving life-saving medication and ballots for the upcoming general election,” wrote the Senators. “The Postal Service is a public institution that both serves and belongs to every person in our nation. As a result, we call on you to testify before Congress about all changes you have made and plan to make as Postmaster General. The lack of transparency so far regarding the intent, scope, and responsibility for changes at the Postal Service is unacceptable.”
The Senators continued, “As Postmaster General, you have avoided answering questions about the magnitude of delays we have seen and have not yet provided any evidence that you studied or considered how your changes would affect delays and mail service before implementing these changes. Furthermore, you have refused to engage with nearly all Members of Congress who have reached out to you or raised concerns about these issues. Inevitably, without additional information or engagement from you or the Postal Service with stakeholders about these changes, your actions raise questions regarding your intent and whether you have adequately sought to fully understand the Postal Service’s current capabilities, personnel, and public service mission before implementing these changes.”
Senators Shaheen and Hassan are working to protect the United States Postal Service and its employees against attacks from the Trump administration. Senators Shaheen and Hassan and the New Hampshire Congressional Delegation in called for answers on mail delivery concerns that they have heard from Granite Staters. Senators Shaheen and Hassan previously called on the newly-appointed Postmaster General to answer for the recent changes to long-standing operations that have slowed mail delivery, including demanding immediate action following reports of significant delays in veterans’ prescription medications. Additionally, the Senators have repeatedly called for additional funding to support the U.S. Postal Service in the next COVID-19 relief package.
Text of the letter is copied below and available here.
