Suozzi, joined by letter carriers and mail handlers: "We need an urgent call to arms to address cuts, slowdowns, and removal of equipment by Postmaster General that will not only endanger elections, but hurt seniors, veterans, small businesses, consumers

Statement

Today, Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-Long Island, Queens) held a press conference at the U.S. Post Office Processing Center in Melville in response to the recent cuts, slowdowns, dismantling of sorting machines, and removal of equipment by the Postmaster General. Suozzi was joined by representatives from National Letter Carriers Local 6000, National Postal Mail Handlers Local 300, and the American Postal Workers Union, in amplifying that these changes not only endanger our elections, but hurt seniors, veterans, small businesses, and consumers. Suozzi, who is returning to D.C. later this week to vote on The Delivering for America Act, urgent legislation that he has cosponsored to protect the USPS, once again called on the President and Senate Majority Leader McConnell to finally negotiate a response to the pandemic, which has crippled our nation, including the USPS.

At the press conference, Suozzi presented photos of recently decommissioned mail sorting machines at the Melville facility and documents outlining the Postal Service's plan for equipment reduction.

"Undermining and starving the USPS from much-needed funding will have collateral damage that will impact more than mail-in ballots. These cuts and slowdowns will have dire impacts on seniors and veterans who have always been able to depend on the postal service for the timely delivery of life-saving prescription medications, as well as consumers and small businesses who have had to adapt in many ways to the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic" said Suozzi. "The Speaker has called us back to D.C. this week to address this crisis which threatens the health and economic security of all Americans. We need an urgent call to arms to break through all the noise and focus on protecting not only the security of our elections, but the integrity and reliability of the United States Postal Service. Lives, livelihoods, and our democracy are at stake."

"Never has the White House played politics with the Postal Service for political gain. Never has a Postmaster General tried to ruin the Postal Service. Mail is being delayed and we are grateful for Congressman Suozzi's attention with this urgent matter during these unprecedented times in postal history." said Kevin Tabarus, President, National Mail Handlers Union Local 300.

"Starting employees later at work, reducing overtime hours and eliminating mail sorting machines will slow down delivery and, in some areas, curtail it. This will not be the fault of the postal workers, it will be the fault of our President to take action and that action is to provide funding and to allow this essential service to do its job," said Walter Barton, President, National Letter Carriers Union Local 6000.

Three months ago, the House passed The Heroes Act, a desperately needed stimulus package to further help our struggling states and local governments, schools, and hardworking Americans recover from the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. While Americans anxiously wait for help from their federal government, this fiscal lifeline remains stalled in the Senate. Included in the stimulus package is $25 billion in aid for the USPS to offset the fiscal losses from the pandemic. Just last week the President stated that he has been opposing the assistance to the USPS because he is trying to stop mail-in voting.

This past week, Suozzi cosponsored The Delivering for America Act, legislation introduced by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY12) that would protect the Postal Service at a time when Americans, including seniors, veterans, small businesses and rural residents, are relying more than ever on regular, on-time deliveries to get their prescription drugs, paychecks, and bills, connect with customers, and more. On Sunday, Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that she would call the House back this week for a vote on the legislation to block these changes at the Postal Service.

The bill specifies that the postal service shall not implement or approve any change to its operations that would impede prompt, reliable, and efficient services during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The bill extends these requirements through at least January 1, 2021, or longer if the public health emergency is extended.

The bill prohibits any sweeping changes to postal service delivery standards during this time including:

-any change to postal services that affect service and speed of mail delivery on a nationwide basis;
-any revision of service standards;
-any closure or consolidation of post offices or reduction of facility hours;
-any prohibition of overtime pay;
-any change that would delay mail or prevent the Postal Service from meeting its service standards.

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