Press Releases

Today, Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services, and Rep. Kweisi Mfume, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce, led Committee Democrats in sending a letter to Chairman James Comer demanding an immediate public hearing on the Trump Administration and DOGE’s plans for the United States Postal Service (USPS).

Democrats also urged the Chairman to uphold the Committee’s oversight responsibilities and join Democrats in requesting all signed agreements Postmaster General DeJoy made with the General Services Administration and “DOGE representatives” on his way out the door.

“Since the Committee’s most recent hearing on the USPS, the Trump Administration has reportedly explored privatizing the USPS, firing the bipartisan Postal Board of Governors, merging the USPS into the Department of Commerce, and is now subjecting the USPS, America’s most trusted federal institution, to the chainsaw approach of Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This broad assault on the independence of the USPS demands Congressional oversight, especially from the Committee with jurisdiction over the USPS,” the Members wrote.

Committee Democrats outline the Trump Administration’s most recent attacks on the Postal Service, and note President Trump’s continued interest in dismantling and privatizing this cornerstone public institution:

December 14, 2024: The Washington Post reported that President Trump was considering actions to privatize the Postal Service and push thousands of federal service employees out of their jobs in favor of a broad privatization of the agency’s essential services. February 21, 2025: Further reporting noted that President Trump was preparing plans to fire the bipartisan Postal Board of Governors and “merge” the Postal Service into the Commerce Department, “potentially throwing the 250-year-old mail provider and trillions of dollars of e-commerce transactions into turmoil.” March 13, 2025: The Oversight Committee received a letter from Postmaster General Louis DeJoy acknowledging a back-room agreement he signed with “DOGE representatives” and the General Services Administration to execute a “further reduction of another 10,000 people in the next 30 days” and a “reduction in air transportation, ground transportation, terminal handling facilities” through “operating contract terminations, and lease cancellations.” The agreement also signals the Postmaster General’s interest in gutting the Congressionally-authorized Postal Regulatory Commission, potentially allowing rates, rulemaking, and other actions to favor certain industries, individuals, and regions at the expense of the network’s operational needs and universal service obligation.

“We agree that there are steps Congress could take to strengthen the financial sustainability of the Postal Service, but any potential deal that would give Elon Musk and his DOGE associates unilateral authority to manipulate the most critical, expansive national mail network on the planet is deeply troubling. Such an agreement signed between the Postmaster General and DOGE associates would threaten access to affordable and reliable postal service for millions of American families and businesses,” the Members continued.

The Postal Service facilitates the delivery of more than 115 billion pieces of mail each year, a significant portion of which is delivered to rural, low-income, and hard-to-reach areas that would not otherwise receive service if not for the universal service obligation, which has received bipartisan support in Congress and is integral to the mission of Postal Service. Americans receive everything from medication and bills to ballots and letters through the mail, and the Postal Service keeps families and communities connected.

“We request that you convene a public full Committee hearing at the earliest possible opportunity to evaluate the Administration’s plans for the USPS. We also have prepared a letter to send to the Postmaster General requesting that he immediately provide this Committee with all signed agreements he made on March 12, 2025, with the General Services Administration and DOGE. We request that you join Committee Democrats on this letter to ensure the transparency and accountability of the Postal Service,” the Members concluded.

Click here to read the letter to Chairman Comer.