Text of Letter (PDF)

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and Congressman Donald Payne, Jr. (NJ-10) today sent a letter urging House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to “stand firm” in their fight to protect the United States Postal Service (USPS) from Trump Administration attacks and secure billions in emergency funding for the USPS.  The U.S. House of Representatives will vote on a bill tomorrow to provide $25 billion in emergency funds to the Postal Service to improve mail delivery and service ahead of the 2020 election.

Congresswoman Pressley and Congressman Payne were joined by 101 House colleagues in sending the letter.

“The United States Postal Service provides essential jobs and services to our communities and is critical to our democracy and our economy,” said Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. “As the Trump administration and their handpicked Republican accomplices work to undermine and sabotage the USPS, it’s critical that we stand firm in our demand to provide the Postal Service with the resources and support it needs to remain the strong, secure, and reliable public service agency that it is.”

“We need the Post Office to guarantee that everything from ballots to Census forms arrive on time,” said Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr.  “Usually, support for this critical American institution is not a political issue.  Unfortunately, President Trump has decided to try and limit service to improve his re-election chances in November.  Now, the Post Office needs every dime of this money to thrive.  I wanted to write this letter to encourage House and Senate leadership not to negotiate on the final funding figures when it comes to something as important to Americans as mail delivery.”

The letter comes before a crucial vote on the Delivering for America Act.  Along with providing the $25 billion in emergency funding, the bill (H.R. 8015) would halt post office closures, consolidations and stop the reduction of hours at postal locations, prohibit the removal of mail sorting machines and mailboxes, ensure that employees receive overtime pay for overtime hours, and return postal service to the level Americans experienced on January 1, 2020, before the coronavirus public health crisis gripped the nation. 

Earlier this week, Congresswoman Pressley joined members of the Massachusetts House delegation at a press conference to discuss Congress’ response to President Trump’s and Postmaster General DeJoy’s actions to sabotage the USPS.

Congresswoman Pressley also joined her colleagues this week in demanding that Postmaster General Louis DeJoy be removed from his position immediately.

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