Letter to the Hon. Louis DeJoy, Postmaster General - U.S. Rep. Newman (IL-03) Leads Chicago-Area Congress Members in a Letter Urging USPS Leadership to Address Persistent Delivery Issues and Delays

Letter

Dear Postmaster General DeJoy,

We are writing in hopes of finding a solution to the persistent mail delivery and customer service issues that continue to disrupt the entire Chicago Metropolitan area. Without immediate action, our constituents continue to lose faith in one of America's most trusted and respected institutions. We continue to hear from constituents who go days and sometimes weeks without mail. Regardless of the situation, this is unacceptable.

Postal mail is indispensable to many of our constituents; medicine, bills, tax refunds, and essential documents are all received via the United States Postal Service (USPS). The longer USPS leadership neglects to take the proper steps to find a solution, the greater the risk that the consequences for our constituents will become life-altering. The high number of complaints and inquiries our offices have received, and continue to receive, indicates these are not isolated issues but institutional problems that must be addressed immediately. In each of our districts, we have received complaints from constituents who have gone three to four weeks without receiving mail. Seniors have fallen behind on their prescriptions or had essential services shut off because bills were not delivered. This is unacceptable.

We are aware of and respect the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has created for USPS operations. Many letter carriers have risen to the occasion and have been heroes. However, it is our view that the challenges of COVID-19 have been inadequately addressed and that this failure is indicative of long-standing management and staffing issues that have plagued our constituents and your customers for years. It is long overdue for Postal management and leadership to rise to the occasion.

The United States Postal Service's unique ability to deliver mail the last mile, six days a week, and universally to homes and businesses across the country is what keeps the service competitive and essential. Cost-cutting and staff reductions have severely damaged the Postal Service's ability to maintain that unique edge and resulting service degradation has eroded public trust in the institution. We are calling upon you and the USPS Board of Governors to thoroughly examine your staffing procedures and take corrective actions necessary to ensure that routes have coverage even when a carrier is unexpectedly absent.

Incremental changes and an increase in staffing are not the only solutions that will resolve issues that have long existed and exacerbated over the years. The ongoing issues with the Postal Service require bold ideas. It is imperative that postal leadership regains accountability and transparency if we are to restore the public's faith in the Postal Service that continues to fragment.

The United States Postal Service is crucial to the wellbeing of our community. Our constituents' complaints and frustration are a justified response. We request that all necessary steps be taken to ensure the delivery of our constituents' mail. We request the United States Postal Service management and operations in the Chicago area be thoroughly investigated and reviewed. Finally, we request that you respond in writing with a plan to address the issues laid out above, as well as a timeline in which to execute said plan. We thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to hearing from you by March 9th, 2021.

Sincerely,