Press Releases

Today, Subcommittee on Government Operations Chairman Gerald E. Connolly joined U.S. Representative Brenda L. Lawrence (MI-14), Committee on Oversight and Reform Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12), and Subcommittee on National Security Chairman Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08) in sending a letter to United States Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and United States Postal Service (USPS) Board of Governors Chairman Ron Bloom demanding answers on proposed service standard changes from the “Delivering for America” plan. The plan modifies existing service standards for First-Class Mail Letters and Flats from a current one-to-three-day service standard within the continental United States to a one-to-five-day service standard. While Postal Service leadership advocates that this would uphold service performance, the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) issued an opinion stating that the Postal Service had not modeled the impact the changes would have on mail service. The service standard changes go into effect on October 1.

“We write today to express our strong concerns with your decision to move forward with service standard changes associated with First-Class Mail and Periodicals. These changes will slow down mail service for millions of Americans and risk further undermining the competitive position of the Postal Service,” the Members wrote in the letter. “On July 20, 2021, the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) issued an opinion raising grave doubts about whether these changes will allow the Postal Service to uphold its commitment to providing reliable mail service.”

The Members added, “The Postal Service is not an ordinary business, but an indispensable public service recognized by the Constitution as vital to the American people and to our democracy. As Postmaster General, it is your responsibility to fully consider the impact of your decision to modify service standards before it is implemented.”

To view the letter, click here.