NEW YORK – On August 15, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12) stood with union leaders from the National Postal Mail Handlers Union Local 300 and National Association of Letter Carriers to defend the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) from President Trump’s attacks. 

“One of the reasons for our urgency here today is the President’s own statements this past Thursday. He stated on national television that he has been opposing $25 billion in critical coronavirus assistance to the Postal Service because he is trying to stop mail-in voting. This money was supposed to help the Postal Service, just like the federal funding that was made available to businesses, and other entities that are suffering as a result of this crisis,” said Rep. Maloney.

She added that Postmaster General DeJoy outlined “operational changes” in a memo last week that, “won’t just disenfranchise voters. They will delay critical mail delivery to veterans, seniors who need medications, to small businesses, and to Americans across the country who are already hurting so much from the pandemic. And these delays are already happening.”

“Whether it is New York City, the suburbs of Long Island, Staten Island or beyond, the USPS performs a lifeline service for countless Americans and the people of New York that must continue amid and beyond this pandemic,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. “The fact is, the coronavirus and the President’s all-out assault on the Postal Service has severely crippled USPS operations and their funds. Despite that, they have kept the doors open, the mail — and really the economy — moving, and now they need the help to sustain their pace, safely deliver the mail and prepare for the election. I’m proud to fight for our post offices and the work they are doing alongside Congresswoman Maloney.”

“The National Postal Mail Handlers Union Local 300 represents over 5,100 essential mail handlers in the New York City Metro Area, who perform a constitutionally mandated service to every American household and business in this great county by getting the mail out. NPMHU Local 300 is grateful for Chairwoman Maloney’s leadership during this unprecedented time in postal history. Currently the USPS is experiencing a loss of revenue while seeing an increase in expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Emergency funding is needed to provide the safety of our members and to ensure the USPS is fully operations not only to meet the demands of nation-wide mail-in voting, but also the service Americans expect on a daily basis,” said Yvette Johnson, Vice President, NMPHU Local 300.

“Thank you to Rep. Maloney for providing ongoing, strong support to the National Association of Letter Carriers and the U.S. Postal Service to make sure we maintain this vital service to the American people with universal delivery, 6 days a week. On behalf of letter carriers and the Vincent R. Sombrotto Branch 36, I would like to present you with the Letter Carriers jacket for all you do for NALC and all the unions. We are here to stay,” said Carmen Flores, District Liason, NALC Branch 36.

Background

On July 20, 2020, House Committee on Oversight and Reform Chairwoman Maloney, Government Operations Subcommittee Chairman Gerald E. Connolly, National Security Subcommittee Chairman Stephen F. Lynch, and Committee Member Brenda Lawrence, sent a letter to the Postmaster General regarding documents that appeared to outline operational changes to the Postal Service.

On July 22, 2020, the Postal Service responded to the Committee by stating that these changes had not, “originated from Postal Service Headquarters” and “should not be treated as official statements on Postal Service policy.”

On July 31, 2020, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 7617, which included an amendment offered by Chairwoman Maloney, to stop the new Postmaster General’s drastic changes to the Postal Service from being implemented and maintain the mail service Americans deserve.

On August 6, 2020, Chairwoman Maloney and Representative Peter King led 84 of their colleagues on a bipartisan letter to the Postmaster General expressing deep concerns about operational changes at the Postal Service that could have negative impacts on service standards and cause significant delays in mail delivery.

On August 7, 2020, Chairwoman Maloney, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Homeland Security and Government Affairs Ranking Member Gary C. Peters, Government Operations Subcommittee Chairwoman Gerald E. Connolly, National Security Subcommittee Chairman Stephen F. Lynch, Senator Thomas R. Carper, Senator Ron Wyden, Senator Tina Smith, and Oversight Committee Member Brenda Lawrence sent a letter to the Postal Service Inspector General asking for an audit into the operational changes taking place at the Postal Service under new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.

On August 11, 2020, Chairwoman Maloney introduced the Delivering for America Act, which would protect our nation's elections by prohibiting the Postal Service from implementing changes to operations or the level of service it had in place on January 1, 2020, until the COVID-19 pandemic has ended.  These safeguards are essential in the face of attacks by the Trump Administration and this once-in-a-century pandemic. 

On August 14, 2020, Chairwoman Maloney, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, Committee on House Administration Chairperson Zoe Lofgren, Senate Committee on Rules and Administration Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar, and Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs Ranking Member Gary C. Peters sent a letter to the Postmaster General demanding answers on sweeping changes he is making at hundreds of postal facilities across the country which are slowing the mail and jeopardizing the integrity of the election this November.

The full letter can be read here: https://www.speaker.gov/sites/speaker.house.gov/files/20200814_Letter_JointPelosiSchumerLofgrenKlobucharCBMPeterstoPMGreElectionPrep.pdf.