The U.S. Postal Service is an institution older than the country itself. It employs 600,000 essential workers, including 97,000 veterans, and is vital to a functioning democracy. In the age of COVID-19, having a healthy and strong postal service is more important than ever. It’s a lifeline for all Americans, rural and urban, regardless of age, gender, race, disability, or socioeconomic status. We rely on the USPS to deliver medicine, food, Social Security, and essentials from sea to shining sea; the mail knits America together.
But, on top of the stresses brought upon by the pandemic, the Trump administration has begun dismantling this American institution. Postmaster General Louis Dejoy is presently overseeing the removal of mail sorting machines and postal boxes around the country, and not allowing carriers to finish their routes if overtime is needed, causing delays nationwide. The USPS is not a for-profit business; it’s a public service our founders mandated in the Constitution, like the military. On August 13th, President Trump admitted that he’s blocking the latest coronavirus relief bill because he doesn’t want to give the Post Office funds to handle mail-in ballots. And according to letters sent on July 29 by the USPS to 46 states and D.C., it cannot guarantee all ballots cast by mail for the November election will arrive in time to be counted. This is election interference in broad daylight.
Please co-sponsor or lend your support to The Delivering for America Act introduced by Rep. Carolyn Maloney, and otherwise use the full power of your office to fund the post office and to stop the interference that is affecting service nationally. Thank you.
First sent on April 11, 2020 by Rachel
