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The US Postal Service will suspend any policies or operational changes until the end of the presidential elections in November, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said on Tuesday.
Critics claimed DeJoy was hampering the agency’s ability to cope with an expected increase in postal voting, which he denied.
DeJoy, a close ally of President Donald Trump and a longtime GOP donor who was appointed in May, said he had come to the federal agency to make changes that would allow “its long-term sustainability.” but he intended to delay these efforts. as scrutiny of these practices intensified – despite his view that the USPS needed a major overhaul.
“In the meantime, there are long-standing operational initiatives – efforts prior to my arrival at the Postal Service – that have been raised as areas of concern as the country prepares to hold elections amid a pandemic. devastating, ”he said. “To avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail, I am suspending these initiatives until the end of the election.”
DeJoy said post office hours will not change, mail processing equipment and blue letter boxes will not be removed, all mail processing facilities will remain open, and the Postal Service will allow again to overtime to be “approved as required”.
The announcement also included DeJoy’s intention to expand the agency’s leadership working group on election mail to include members of postal unions and leadership associations.
The sudden statement comes after DeJoy, a former logistics manager, came under scrutiny over nationwide shipping delays after making a number of policy changes, including eliminating overtime and banning postal carriers from making extra routes to deliver mail on time.
Questions have also been raised regarding the removal of the Blue Mailboxes from the Postal Service, as well as the decommissioning of 671 letter sorting machines at the Postal Service’s facilities, although these removals predate DeJoy’s appointment.
Nonetheless, the delays and the optics troubled Democrats who accused DeJoy and Trump of obstructing the agency in an effort to undermine postal voting. Postal workers across the country added their voices to the issue, saying the policies DeJoy has adopted – which he says are aimed at cutting costs and increasing efficiency – have caused the delay in deliveries, including drugs on prescription, social security checks and other documents. essential mail.
Trump has denied intentionally slowing down the USPS, telling reporters Monday that he “encouraged everyone to speed up mail, not slow it down.” DeJoy, meanwhile, is expected to testify before Congress later this week.
Concerns about the Postal Service’s ability to handle election mail increased when many states received letters from the Postal Service last week warning them that the agency would not be able to respond to requests for ballots through the postal service. post.
Potential delays are a big concern for many, as millions of Americans are expected to cast their vote through USPS this year due to concerns about the coronavirus.
DeJoy’s announcement came as Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro and Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, both Democrats, shared their intention to sue the Postmaster General for his changes in Politics. At least 18 states are involved in the lawsuits.
Asked by reporters about DeJoy’s announcement, the pair laughed and said their lawsuits would be continued.
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Shapiro said. “I hope the American people can breathe a sigh of relief, but I will not let my foot on the gas as long as postal officials continue to break the law through their procedural steps.
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