USPS: Postal Bill Will Hinder Ability to Make Cost-Saving Changes

The U.S. Postal Service says it has concerns about a postal bill passed by the House on Saturday, CNN reports.

The House passed the Delivering for America Act, a bill that provides the financially struggling agency with a $25 billion boost. The bill also prohibits the removal of collection boxes and dismantling of sorting machines until the coronavirus pandemic is over, according to CNN.

USPS said that while the bill is “well meaning” it will “constrain the ability of the Postal Service to make operational changes that will improve efficiency, reduce costs, and ultimately improve service to the American people."

By eliminating collection boxes and making other changes, USPS says it can help deal with major financial losses.

The bill, which passed mostly on party line votes with support from 26 GOP members, is not slated to be taken up in the Senate, according to CNN.

In a statement issued on Sunday night, USPS said it "greatly appreciates the efforts of the House of Representatives to assist us" but warned it was "concerned" about the impact of the some of the bill's requirements.

"We look forward to continuing to work with Congress on more meaningful reform that will ensure our long-term health, and we remain a vital part of our nation's critical infrastructure," the statement read.

The bill was introduced by House Oversight and Reform chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y. as a way to prevent the agency from making any changes to mail service prior to November’s election.

Maloney said the statement issued by USPS about her bill was a “misreading” of it.

"Unfortunately, the unattributed statement from the Postal Service is a fundamental misreading of H.R. 8015, which states clearly in Section 2(a) that the Postal Service may not implement any change that 'would reduce service performance or impede prompt, reliable, and efficient services,'" Maloney said in a statement posted on Twitter by the Oversight Committee.

Maloney added that the USPS statement "fails to note the significant bipartisan support of dozens of Republicans who bucked their leadership and voted to put a stop to the Postmaster General's sweeping and dangerous changes that are delaying the mail for all Americans."

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told a Senate panel on Friday that the agency can handle an influx of vote-by-mail ballots ahead of the election. DeJoy faces additional grilling from lawmakers on Monday.

"We reiterate that the Postal Service is fully capable and committed to delivering the nation's election mail securely and on time, and will do everything necessary to meet this sacred duty," it said in a statement.

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