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Washington – President Biden on Wednesday announced his three nominees to join the U.S. Postal Service’s Board of Governors, the first step for the board to potentially oust controversial Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. There are currently three vacant seats on the nine-member board, and the six existing members were all appointed by former President Donald Trump.
Mr. Biden chose Anton Hajjar, the former general counsel for the American Postal Workers Union; Amber McReynolds, voting rights activist and CEO of the National Vote at Home Institute; and Ron Stroman, who recently retired as Deputy Director General of Posts. If confirmed by the Senate, Democrats would have a majority on the board, which currently has four Republicans and two Democrats.
DeJoy appeared at a hearing before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Wednesday, where Democrats grilled him on the slowdown in mail deliveries over the summer, amid the coronavirus pandemic and an increase in mail voting ahead of the November election. DeJoy told committee members that his future plans for the agency could include slowing the delivery of first-class mail.
Democratic lawmakers have called on the board to oust DeJoy. In a controversial exchange with Democratic Congressman Jim Cooper on Wednesday, DeJoy noted that he had been “chosen by a bipartisan board of governors” and said he would remain postmaster for “a long time.”
“Get used to me,” DeJoy said. However, if Mr Biden’s candidates are confirmed, the Democratic majority will have the votes to remove DeJoy.
Mr Biden’s candidates would also diversify the board, as the current six board members are male and white. In Wednesday’s hearing, Democratic MK Cori Bush said the council “looks like a millionaire white boys club.” The current members are mainly businessmen, including three investment bankers. DeJoy, who was chosen by the board in April 2020, was previously the head of a shipping company.
Congresswoman Alma Adams, who last week launched a letter signed by 79 other Democrats calling on Mr. Biden to fill vacant board positions, said in a statement that she was “delighted he has responded to our call to fill vacant positions “.
“A genuinely non-partisan Board of Governors will be able to partner with Congressional leaders on the reforms needed to maintain the long-term health of the USPS, and identify immediate issues that need to be addressed with decisive action.” , she said. “President Biden’s candidates for the Board of Governors are passionate and skilled advocates who will better rebuild the USPS, and I encourage the United States Senate to act quickly to confirm them.”
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