Duckworth Urges Biden Administration to Replace All USPS Board of Governors Who Permitted DeJoy’s Disastrous Decisions
[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) is urging President Biden to help restore trust in the United States Postal Services (USPS) by replacing every member of the USPS Board of Governors and nominating new leadership. In the letter, Duckworth details how these members allowed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to remove community mail drop boxes, reduce operating hours for facilities and gut overtime pay – harmful new policies that led to lifesaving prescriptions not reaching Veterans and older adults in time, delayed paychecks, and missed utility bills and credit card payments, among other challenges.
In part, the Senator wrote: “As you know, last May, the USPS Board of Governors appointed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. Shortly after taking office, Mr. DeJoy implemented and accelerated flawed and harmful, system wide operational changes that included gutting overtime pay, reducing hours of operations for facilities and removing community mail drop boxes. On the ground and in our communities, these incoherent and hastily rolled-out policy changes immediately led to widespread delivery delays and system-wide mail and parcel backlogs. Such bottlenecks put individuals like Veterans and older adults at risk of not receiving their lifesaving prescriptions on time; families at risk of missing their paychecks, utility bills, credit-card payments and court notices and hard-hit small businesses at risk of not receiving critical supplies for their customers on-time.”
Duckworth continued, “While Postmaster General DeJoy rushed to implement these changes, he did so with little – if any – public rebuke from the current USPS Board of Governors. There must be accountability for this failure in leadership, and that is why I am requesting that you use your authority under 39 U.S.C. § 202 to immediately replace the entire USPS Board of Governors. There should not be any toleration for their silence or complicity in overseeing these harmful policy changes that have also eroded the public trust in this agency. I believe taking this step will begin the work of serving the public and rebuilding a robust, efficient and sustainable USPS for future generations.”
In August of last year, Duckworth and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) convened a call with USPS and Illinois State Board of Elections leaders to discuss how constituents in Illinois can safely participate in the upcoming general election amid concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic and USPS policies and practices that may impact mail-in ballot delivery. Shortly after that call, Duckworth and Durbin urged USPS to prioritize election mail ahead of the November general election
A full copy of the letter is available below and here.
February 11, 2021
Thank you for all your work in the early days of this Administration to rebuild our Nation’s trust in vital institutions. Since its founding, originating in our Constitution, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has been a cornerstone institution of American communities. Unfortunately, as a result of recent and abject failure of leadership at the top of the USPS, it is in desperate need of repair in the public eye. It is for this reason that I urge you to act swiftly and replace every member of the current USPS Board of Governors. Doing so would restore accountability and credibility at this Board, and it would send a message to future leaders that silence in the face of a campaign of sabotage will not be tolerated.
As you know, last May, the USPS Board of Governors appointed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. Shortly after taking office, Mr. DeJoy implemented and accelerated flawed and harmful, system wide operational changes that included gutting overtime pay, reducing hours of operations for facilities and removing community mail drop boxes. On the ground and in our communities, these incoherent and hastily rolled-out policy changes immediately led to widespread delivery delays and system-wide mail and parcel backlogs. Such bottlenecks put individuals like Veterans and older adults at risk of not receiving their lifesaving prescriptions on time; families at risk of missing their paychecks, utility bills, credit-card payments and court notices and hard-hit small businesses at risk of not receiving critical supplies for their customers on-time.
Under proper leadership, these missteps could have been avoided. For instance, an October 2020 report by the USPS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) noted how USPS leadership – despite instituting “transformational changes” – failed to complete a single study, analysis or pilot test to fully comprehend the impact of their actions. The USPS OIG further determined that Postmaster General DeJoy and his leadership team implemented these changes “quickly and communicated [them] primarily orally,” creating confusion across operations within the USPS system.
These failures are inexcusable in any moment, but especially so in the midst of a pandemic and presidential election year where Americans increasingly needed to utilize mail-in ballots. It will take significant work to rebuild trust for this vital institution, and while Americans still celebrate their local letter carrier, they continue to have concerns about the individuals leading this agency.
While Postmaster General DeJoy rushed to implement these changes, he did so with little – if any – public rebuke from the current USPS Board of Governors. There must be accountability for this failure in leadership, and that is why I am requesting that you use your authority under 39 U.S.C. § 202 to immediately replace the entire USPS Board of Governors. There should not be any toleration for their silence or complicity in overseeing these harmful policy changes that have also eroded the public trust in this agency. I believe taking this step will begin the work of serving the public and rebuilding a robust, efficient and sustainable USPS for future generations.
I appreciate your consideration of this request, and I look forward to working with you to place this institution back on solid ground following the Trump Administration’s deliberate campaign against it.
Connolly Calls on Biden to Fire Postal Board of Governors Following DeJoy’s Proposed USPS Cuts
Press Release from Congressman Gerald Connolly
Today, Congressman Gerry Connolly, Chairman of the House Government Operations subcommittee, called for President Biden to fire the Postal Board of Governors. Connolly’s request follows a Washington Post report that Postmaster General Louis DeJoy will announce additional service cuts to the United States Postal Service.
“Since his installation as President Trump’s handpicked Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy has been on a mission to send the USPS into a death spiral. Deliberate sabotage, draconian service cuts, and craven partisanship will be his ignominious legacy.
“Just as reprehensible and destructive has been the enablement of the Postal Board of Governors. They have proven to be a cabal of cowards, complicit in DeJoy’s attacks, derelict in their duties, and unwilling to hold the Postmaster accountable. America deserves a clean slate. President Biden should immediately remove and replace the entire Board of Governors. We need a Board of Governors that will remove Postmaster DeJoy. It is the only way to restore faith in this institution and save the Postal Service.
From Forbes
Citing anonymous sources, the Post reported Friday that DeJoy intends to change how first-class mail is transported and raise postage rates “significantly,” which would cause “slower and more costly” delivery if finalized.
First-class mail would reportedly no longer be transported by airplane under the plan, and two-day first-class delivery would be eliminated.
The lawmaker said the six board members—who DeJoy said in a statement are backing his changes—have been “just as reprehensible and destructive” as the postmaster general, a GOP fundraiser who became a Democratic target after changes imposed over the summer caused widespread mail delays.
The Oversight Committee will hold a hearing with DeJoy and other postal leaders on Feb. 24 to discuss the agency’s future plans and financial stability.
Ohio Congressman Urges President Biden to Clean House Among USPS Board of Governors
NJ Congressman Calls on Biden to Fire Entire USPS Board of Governors
Get rid of any connection to Das Fat Fuhrer. Must have citizens that desire to manage the agency professionally. the idiots that want to follow ” America’s worst president” should go.
And any new Board of Governors should appoint a Postmaster General who will–as one of his/her first tasks–replace Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale. Mail theft is increasing at alarming numbers, letter carriers are under attack, identities are being stolen, prescription medicines aren’t being received, all while inspectors are “working” from home to keep themselves safe from Covid.
My Son sent a Priority Express Mail flat back in September, from 194 t0 191.
They couldn’t even deliver that overnight in the same SCF.
The PO is doomed.