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House Passes Legislation to Support Postal Services, Stop Mail Delays

August 22, 2020

Kildee Supports Delivering for America Act to Ensure Michigan Families Receive Prescriptions, Social Security Benefits and Small Business Goods On Time

Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05), Chief Deputy Whip of the House Democratic Caucus, today applauded the U.S. House of Representatives for passingThe Delivering for America Act to fund the U.S. Postal Service and prohibit changes to operations until the pandemic has ended.

Due to the pandemic, the Postal Service has seen a significant decline in revenue. In response, three months ago, House Democrats passedThe Heroes Act, to provide the Postal Service $25 billion in emergency aid. Unfortunately, Senate Republicans and Mitch McConnell have failed to vote on this bill. Instead, the Postmaster General implemented harmful, so-called "cost-saving" policies, such as banning overtime and removing high-speed mail sorting machines and public collection boxes.

While the Postmaster General Tuesday announced a temporary pause in implementing these changes, legislative action is still necessary to reverse the damage already done to Post Office services.

"The Postal Service is a fundamental part of a civil society," Congressman Kildee said. "The Postal Service keeps our country connected, especially rural communities and small businesses selling their products around the world. Every day, the hardworking men and women of the Postal Service deliver lifesaving medications, paychecks and Social Security benefits. Operational changes to mail service have already hurt families and I am grateful the House passed this emergency legislation to support the Postal Service."

The Delivering For America Actwould:

·Prohibit the Postal Service from implementing any changes that would affect their operations or level of service until the pandemic is over;

·Prohibit the removal of mail sorting machines or mailboxes;

·Prohibit any Postal Service hiring freeze;

·Explicitly reverse any changes already implemented to the operations or policies of the Postal Service that delay mail delivery;

·Require the Postal Service to treat all election mail as First-Class mail;

·Allow a person harmed by a violation of this law to bring a civil action against the Postal Service; and

·Appropriate $25 billion to the Postal Service.

This week, Kildeejoined workersfrom the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) to call for additional support for the Postal Service. He alsoheld a roundtablewithlocal postal workers to discuss how recent operational changes in the Postal Service have already slowed down mail delivery service. Last week, Kildee also wrote a letter calling on the Postmaster General to reverse the recent changes that have hurt the Postal Service.