Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has promised to pause service reductions and removal of mail sorting machines, until after the November election.
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin argues that’s not enough. “I have heard hundreds and hundreds of concerns from Wisconsinites who are not getting timely delivery of needed items including prescription medications. Things that are life saving in some cases.” Baldwin said.
DeJoy announced in a statement Tuesday that the USPS will halt its controversial cost-cutting initiatives — canceling service reductions, reinstating overtime hours and ceasing the removal of mail-sorting machines and public collection boxes.
“I’m not satisfied with simply the suspension of changes for a couple of months,” the Democrat said. “What he really has to do . . . is reverse the changes already made.”
AG Josh Kaul
On Wednesday, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said that DeJoy needs to follow through with his promises, not just make them. Kaul said the Department of Justice is still moving forward with a lawsuit to stop the changes.
The White House said Wednesday that the Trump administration will consider giving the go ahead for $25 billion in emergency funding for the Postal Service, depending on other provisions contained in a coronavirus relief package.
On Thursday, VICE News reported that it had obtained USPS emails which instructed all maintenance managers around the country not to reconnect or reinstall any mail sorting machines they had already disconnected.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI)
On Friday, the Senate’s Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, chaired by Wisconsin Republican Johnson, will hold a hearing to discuss USPS finances and recent delays.
I look forward to Postmaster General DeJoy testifying at our virtual hearing this Friday. The Postal Service has had significant financial problems for years, and it is important for everyone to fully understand its current fiscal challenges. https://t.co/y6Mq4D47Yp
— Senator Ron Johnson (@SenRonJohnson) August 18, 2020
In a statement, Johnson said DeJoy “should have an opportunity to describe those realities before going before a hostile House committee determined to conduct a show trial.”