Under pressure from Democrats in Congress and facing hearings on Capitol Hill in coming days, the Postmaster General on Tuesday announced that internal reforms in the Postal Service would be put on hold in coming weeks, to insure the U.S. mail can deal with an expected big increase in Americans voting by mail in the 2020 elections.
"I came to the Postal Service to make changes to secure the success of this organization," Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said in a written statement.
“To avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail, I am suspending these initiatives until after the election is concluded,” DeJoy added.
DeJoy made four specific pledges:
+ Retail hours at Post Offices will not change.
+ Mail processing equipment and blue collection boxes will will stay in place.
+ No mail processing facilities will be closed.
+ Overtime will continue to be approved as needed.
NEWS: Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said the U.S. Postal Service is suspending operational changes, like removing mail processing equipment and collection boxes, until after the November election. https://t.co/BjexyLJ7Pl
— Rebecca Ballhaus (@rebeccaballhaus) August 18, 2020
In his statement, DeJoy also said there was no question the Postal Service can handle any increase in mail voting.
"The Postal Service is ready today to handle whatever volume of election mail it receives this fall," DeJoy said. "The American public should know that this is our number one priority between now and election day."
But that was at odds with official Postal Service warnings which were sent to almost every state in recent weeks, bluntly telling state elections officials that voters could not fully depend on the U.S. mail for an on-time delivery of mail ballots.
"Even if a voter receives a ballot before Election Day, there is a significant risk that the voter will not have sufficient time to complete and mail the completed ballot back to election officials in time for it to arrive by the state's return deadline," the Postal Service told the Secretary of State of Michigan in a letter.
“The Postal Service cannot adjust its delivery standards to accommodate the requirements of state election law,” officials told the elections chief in North Carolina.
Postal Service officials are warning the state of Michigan there is 'significant risk' voters might not have enough time to mail in absentee ballots in November, urges voters to send their ballots in no later than October 27. https://t.co/UP0TOVfMcw pic.twitter.com/sQXwoGOBu4
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) August 14, 2020
The Tuesday announcement did little to dampen anger among Democrats in the Congress.
"I stand firmly in the belief that the Postmaster General DeJoy needs to resign," said Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-MI).
"We need IMMEDIATE answers on how DeJoy will reverse the changes he's already implemented," tweeted Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). "Otherwise, mail delays will continue or get worse."
DeJoy faces a Friday hearing before a Senate panel, and a Monday hearing in the U.S. House.
