Pressley Shares Constituent Letters Detailing Harmful Impact of Service Failures in Massachusetts 7^th

Video (YouTube)

WASHINGTON – In a House Oversight Committee hearing, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) discussed the essential role that the United States Postal Service (USPS) plays in our communities and questioned USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy about the widespread delays and service failures that have severely impacted her constituents in the Massachusetts 7^th.

In her remarks, Congresswoman Pressley shared excerpts from constituent letters detailing the harm of USPS’ failed service for those in her district and across the Commonwealth and criticized Postmaster General DeJoy for diminishing services and consolidating processing plants – which has resulted in lost jobs, delayed deliveries, and frustrated customers. The Congresswoman called on USPS to take immediate action to restore reliable and equitable postal services.

Recently, Rep. Pressley joined the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation on a letter urging the USPS to re-open postal facilities and improve service, spotlighting a larger statewide problem with postal service in Massachusetts. In October, Rep. Pressley rallied with postal workers from the American Postal Workers Union to sound the alarm about the USPS’ failures and to demand first-class service year-round. Congresswoman Pressley also testified at a recent hearing by the Boston City Council about the inadequate delivery services by the USPS in Boston neighborhoods.

A transcript of her testimony is available below and full video is available here.

Transcript: Ayanna Pressley Grills USPS Postmaster General DeJoy for Postal Failures, Calls for Improved Service

House Committee on Oversight and Reform

December 10, 2024

The United States Postal Service is much more than a delivery system – it is a lifeline.

People depend on it for medications, checks, ballots, and much more.

But, Mr. DeJoy, your leadership has placed this lifeline at risk. Your decisions to diminish services and consolidate processing plants have had devasting impacts on my constituents in the Massachusetts 7th.

One constituent from Somerville reports missing checks and legal documents, describing how she repeatedly contacted USPS only to have her cases closed with false assurances.

I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record this constituent letter from May 2024.

CHAIRMAN COMER: Without objection, so ordered.

REP. PRESSLEY: Another constituent in Grove Hall waited for time-sensitive letters regarding her Social Security Disability benefits that never arrived.

I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record this constituent letter from August 2024.

CHAIRMAN COMER: Without objection, so ordered.

REP. PRESSLEY: These are not isolated incidents. 

More than 80 Roxbury residents signed a letter to my office regarding the understaffed local post office. Here is an excerpt:

It’s common for customers to have to wait 30 to 45 minutes for service, and frequently no one is at any of the windows. The building often feels abandoned…

They go on to describe delivery services and issues: 

Mail service in the surrounding zip codes has been similarly terrible for years now, despite truly wonderful mail carriers. We frequently experience issues such as mail delays of two to four weeks, lost mail, misdelivered mail, and mail left outside of mailboxes.

One constituent even reported being unable to pay their rent due to the delivery of a late Social Security check.

I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record this constituent letter from April 2024.

CHAIRMAN COMER: Without objection, so ordered.

REP. PRESSLEY: Mr. DeJoy, maybe Congress should pass a law that forces you to receive all your income and prescriptions via postal mail. Would you think it acceptable to have to wait a month or more to pay your bills or to take your medication? Yes or no?

MR. DeJOY: Uh. 

REP. PRESSLEY: Do you think it’s acceptable, yes or no?

MR. DeJOY: I don’t think it’s acceptable. 

REP. PRESSLEY: Okay, thank you.

And I’m just curious, having listened to your testimony today, and since you agree this is not an acceptable cadence of service, what grade would you give yourself? 

MR. DeJOY: I would give myself an A.

REP. PRESSLEY: Okay, well I vigorously disagree with that assessment. 

MR. DeJOY: I knew you would. 

REP. PRESSLEY: I would certainly give you a failing grade. 

What immediate actions would you take to restore reliable services in communities like Roxbury, Grove Hall, and Hyde Park, and Somerville in my district? 

MR. DeJOY: Well, in terms of general actions, it’s the same actions and efforts that I’ve taken since I walked in the door here four years ago to try and improve the postal service. My staff will take down the names of the cities you asked about and I will look into them specifically. 

REP. PRESSLEY: During unannounced visits to Roxbury and Grove Hall branches — I want to transition into workforce for a moment — I saw firsthand that workers are demoralized and under-resourced, leaving communities under-served.

I am grateful to the American Postal Workers Union for raising the alarm on this and standing up for their members.

On your watch, Mr. DeJoy, the USPS has been undermined across the board and even prompted audits of postal operations throughout Boston neighborhoods.

Ms. Hull, after complaints from my office and others in the Massachusetts delegation, the Office of the Inspector General, in fact, launched an investigation. I look forward to reading that forthcoming report on these audits. 

In the meantime, how can my constituents, who continue to struggle unjustly with USPS services, when they have concerns, where should they communicate? By hotline, website, or other means?

MS. HULL: Yeah, our hotline is definitely open and available. We get a number of hotline complaints, probably this last year, about 350,000 complaints. We use those complaints. We obviously can’t respond to every single one, but we use data analytics very effectively to identify hot spots around the country. 

REP. PRESSLEY: What is the hotline? 

MS. HULL: Our hotline? You can go to our website at USPSOIG.gov, and there’s a hotline form. All those complaints come in, and we look at all of them, using data analytics to identify where hot spots are occurring, and use that to inform where we do audit work and investigative work as well.

REP. PRESSLEY: Alright, thank you very much. 

You know, it is in fact the collective action of my constituents and those from communities across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that brought attention to these issues, and I am proud to stand alongside them.

And Mr. DeJoy, we certainly will keep the pressure up until we see a restoration of equitable, reliable services, because every community deserves exactly that. 

Thank you, and I yield back.

—

In February 2021, Rep. Pressley sent a letter to President Biden urging him to remove Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and the entire United States Postal Service (USPS) Board of Governors, and appoint a diverse Board with the experience and skills needed to represent the public interest and restore the integrity of the USPS.

In August 2020, Congresswoman Pressley delivered remarks on the House floor in which she criticized the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans for their attacks on the USPS, and shared stories of constituents from the Massachusetts 7th Congressional District who have been impacted by the operational changes imposed on the USPS by Postmaster General DeJoy.

In a House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley questioned DeJoy and USPS Board of Governors Chairman Robert Duncan about the harmful impact the recent policy changes at the USPS have had on the workforce, and about the troubling history of anti-union labor practices of Mr. DeJoy’s former company, New Breed Logistics. In that hearing, she called on Mr. DeJoy to resign or be removed by the USPS Board of Governors immediately.

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