Letter to Louis DeJoy, Postmaster General - Schakowsky, Task Force On Aging And Families Demands Reversal Of Destructive Postal Cutbacks

Letter

Dear Postmaster General DeJoy:
We are writing to express our great concern over recent policy changes that have led to delays in mail
delivery at the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and are putting older Americans at greater risk of financial
insecurity during an already precarious time. Despite your August 18th announcement that all changes
being made to the Postal Service would be suspended until after the November 3rd election, operational
initiatives already in place -- including reductions in post office hours and limitations on blue
collection boxes and mail processing capacity - must also be reversed in order to preserve many
seniors reliable and timely access to their Social Security benefits.
Throughout its existence, the USPS has connected millions of Americans with one another, often
serving as the only reliable means of sending and receiving mail and packages for rural communities.
During this pandemic, the USPS has played a vital role in preserving our nation's health and wellbeing by delivering prescription drugs, Social Security checks and social correspondence to rural
Americans, people with disabilities, and seniors most vulnerable to the virus.
Under the leadership of President Barack Obama, the Social Security Administration modernized to
give people the ability to receive their Social Security benefits through direct deposit. However,
according to data from the Social Security Administration, 549,818 people still receive their monthly
benefit through mail delivered by the USPS. Older Americans and people with disabilities living on
fixed income rely on their Social Security checks arriving consistently and on time to pay their bills -
an assurance that has been jeopardized by changes implemented under your leadership. In total, the
Social Security Administration sends an estimated 350 million pieces of mail a year, from notices to
replacement cards, to accomplish the mission trusted to the agency for more than eight decades. The
recent operational changes at the USPS have led to mail delays that are causing unnecessary financial
stress for many seniors.
Social Security is the bedrock of the American dream, a hard-earned benefit that supports seniors'
ability to retire with dignity and independence and provides a regular income to those who experience
significant disabilities that prevent them from continuing to work. For the nearly 40 percent of older
Americans that rely on Social Security benefits as their sole source of income in retirement, timely
mail delivery is critical to the ability to pay bills on time. To protect the retirement and financial
security of Older Americans and people with disabilities, and ensure they are supported with the
resources needed to stay safely at home during this crisis, we urge you to address outstanding mail
delays immediately.

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