The U.S. Postal Service will not survive the summer unless Congress kicks in billions of dollars to counteract the impact of the coronavirus on the agency, two key House members say.
Oversight Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y. and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Operations Gerry Connolly, D-Va., made their comments in a joint statement issued Monday.
"The postal service is in need of urgent help as a direct result of the coronavirus crisis," they said. "Based on a number of briefings and warnings this week about a critical fall-off in mail across the country, it has become clear that the postal service will not survive the summer without immediate help from Congress and the White House.
"Every community in America relies on the Postal Service to deliver vital goods and services, including life-saving medications. The postal service needs America's help, and we must answer this call.
"According to the Postal Service, it is facing a potentially drastic direct effect in the near term on mail volumes and could be forced to cease operations as early as June."
The two House members noted the Postal Service delivered more than 1 billion shipments of prescription drugs last year and that number is expected to grow as a result of the outbreak.
Maloney and Connolly said the House's coronavirus relief package provides a $25 billion emergency appropriation to the Postal Service.
Meanwhile, some Postal Service workers with coronavirus-like symptoms are being asked to work — and without protective gear, according to ProPublica.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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