Heinrich, Blumenthal, Manchin Announce Legislation To Improve U.S. Postal Service Delivery Service, Prevent Further Delays
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) are announcing legislation to prevent changes that negatively impact delivery standards within the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). The legislation would block USPS from moving forward with a new 10-year plan that weakens the agency’s abilities to efficiently deliver mail, keeping standards established on January 1, 2021.
“The U.S. Postal Service needs to be improving delivery rates – not walking them back to the days of the pony express,” said Heinrich. “After I, and several Members of Congress, fought to save the USPS during the COVID-19 pandemic, I expect more of a willingness from Postmaster General DeJoy to improve one of the longest-standing services in America. If not, he needs to go. I’ll be fighting to strengthen the USPS in the meantime.”
“The DeJoy Act puts Americans first by rolling back the Postmaster General’s damaging cuts to Post Office service standards. Present service must ensure timely delivery of prescriptions, bills, Social Security benefits, and correspondence. This bill will safeguard this essential service, and improve speedy delivery for Americans and businesses who depend on it,” said Blumenthal.
"For rural communities across the country our U.S. Postal Service provides an irreplaceable service. West Virginians depend on USPS to deliver medicines and bills or support their small businesses. The delays in service over the course of the last year have had serious impacts on rural communities, and it’s a travesty that the Postmaster General wants to double down on that poor service by making it the standard going forward. We should be striving for excellence, not codifying mediocrity. The DeJoy Act would ensure West Virginians can rely on USPS again by requiring delivery standards for first-class mail to be met. I join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me to ensure USPS is delivering on time again," said Manchin.
Read the full text of the legislation here.
