Speier slams Trump appointed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy in Belmont

Meant to reverse most operational changes made during Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s few months in the position, on Tuesday, Speier and U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, both committed to supporting the Delivering for America Act. If passed, the emergency legislative item would also prevent DeJoy from enacting potentially detrimental policies to the efficiency of the agency until Jan. 1, 2021, or until the pandemic is over depending on which comes first. 

“The Trump administration’s attacks on the Postal Service are an assault on our democracy and an election theft in progress,” said Eshoo in a press release. “I will vote for emergency legislation this week to block the sabotage of the Postal Service and ensure it can operate fully during the pandemic and process the delivery of millions of ballots this fall.”

Since DeJoy’s appointment earlier this summer, many changes have been implemented within the Postal Service such as limiting overtime hours, retail business hours and mail carrier routes. Nationally, many have also expressed concern for the removal of mail-sorting machines and community mail-drop boxes in some areas, calling the efforts a direct attack on the upcoming election cycle. 

DeJoy, who donated to President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, said in a statement Tuesday that the operational changes were part of a long-term effort to boost sustainability of the financially failing agency. Though DeJoy committed to suspending the reforms until after the election “to avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail,” the statement was unclear on whether changes would be reversed. 

Speier addressed public concerns in front of the Belmont Post Office, flanked by councilmembers, war veterans and USPS staff, saying she and her colleagues were pleased to learn of DeJoy’s announcement, but maintained a commitment to voting for the Delivering for America Act. She noted she would also be questioning DeJoy on leadership changes within the agency among other issues when he testifies in front of the House Oversight Committee on Monday

“He’s already done a lot of damage, so we will vote on Saturday to make sure that the services of the USPS are restored to what they were Jan. 1 of this year. And that $25 billion, which Donald Trump’s own board of governors has said they needed, will be put in a bill and sent to the Senate,” said Speier. 

USPS officials have warned Federal lawmakers the agency would need substantial financial assistance in order to manage the major foreseen reliance on the service ahead of the election period. While the agency has reported needing $25 billion to sufficiently operate, Republican lawmakers have offered up to $10 billion of bailout assistance. 

Vu Tran, a mail carrier of 21 years and the executive vice president of Union 1427 Letter Carriers, said limited USPS staff members are often working late to fulfill increased deliveries due to many being unable to work for COVID-related issues such as a lack of child care. 

“The mail volume, because everyone has ordered from home, has shot up. So we’re short on staffing, volume has gone up and we’re still here. … Overtime has gone through the roof and the staffing is not there,” said Tran, a self-described concerned citizen. 

Comparing the high volume of mail transferred during the holiday season to the past nearly five months county residents have been managing through the pandemic, Tran expressed confidence in the agency’s ability to handle mail-in voting. 

“If we can deliver a billion pieces during Christmas, I’m pretty sure we can handle 150 million mail-in ballots in the upcoming months,” said Tran during Speier’s press conference. 

Due to the pandemic, California ballots postmarked on Nov. 3, will be counted if arrived up to 17 days after Election Day. While submitting a ballot through the mail has been permitted in the state since 2002, this election cycle all registered voters will receive a ballot through the mailbox in October in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at in-person voting stations. 

To prevent ballots from being uncounted, officials recommend residents return ballots as soon as possible. Postal Service officials recommend ballots be sent back two weeks ahead of the election deadline. 

sierra@smdailyjournal.com

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