Graves, Cleaver Demand Answers for USPS Problems in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, MO – Congressmen Sam Graves (MO-06) and Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05) authored a letter demanding answers from United States Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on the Postal Service’s failure to reliably deliver mail six days a week in the Greater Kansas City Area, as required by law.
“Missourians from all walks of life depend on the United States Postal Service to deliver the mail six days a week,” Graves said. “It doesn’t matter if you live in downtown Kansas City, in the suburbs, or in rural North Missouri, folks depend on the mail to get prescriptions, bills, and other important documents in a timely manner. The failure of the agency to live up to its core promise, particularly when they just posted a $60 billion net profit, is unconscionable. I’ve long supported our postal workers and the dedication they have to delivering the mail on time, but it’s clear there’s a leadership problem somewhere in the chain of command and Missourians deserve some answers.”
“Ensuring the delivery of mail is one of the few powers specifically delegated to Congress in the Constitution, so when I hear about constituents reaching out to my office having not received their mail in weeks, it compels Members of Congress to act,” said Congressman Cleaver. “Americans rely on the Postal Service to pay their bills on time, collect their hard-earned paychecks, and receive vital medications.”
Background
The Postal Service Reform Act was passed by Congress and signed into law in April of this year. The law eliminated a longstanding mandate that the Postal Service prefund retirement benefits for employees on the date an employee is hired. Eliminating the mandate relieved a massive financial burden on the agency and as a result, the Postal Service posted a nearly $60 billion net profit last quarter. In addition, the law mandated the Postal Service maintain its current level of service to communities, including reliable six-day mail delivery with few exceptions.
Despite this mandate, both congressmen have received reports from constituents that the Postal Service is failing to deliver the mail six days a week.
The congressmen requested formal responses to the following questions addressed to Postmaster DeJoy:
Has the USPS received internal or external reports of significant failures to uphold its six-day mail delivery, as required by law?
What is the USPS’ plan to achieve reliable six-day delivery of the mail in all regions of the country?
Specifically, how does the USPS plan to address the Kansas City region’s unreliable mail delivery?
If/when the USPS has a change in delivery service, how does the USPS plan to notify constituents?
If there are barriers to achieving this required level of service, what are they?
Does the USPS plan to reinvest its new profits into services that support letter carriers’ critical work to deliver six-day mail?
Read the full letter text here.
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