Trump Attacking Democracy By Undercutting USPS: Illinois Reps

AURORA, IL — Aurora’s representatives in the U.S. House were outside one of the city’s post offices Tuesday afternoon to demand President Donald Trump reverse his administration’s new changes at the U.S. Postal Service.

Trump appointed Louis DeJoy — who was a top donor to his 2016 presidential campaign — as postmaster general in June, in a move that Democrats have said could signal the end of the postal service.

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Since mid-June, DeJoy has eliminated overtime for postal employees, ordered the removal of mail-sort machines and reorganized USPS leadership roles.

DeJoy has said the measures are aimed at making the postal service financially solvent, but Democratic Reps. Bill Foster and Lauren Underwood said Tuesday that the Trump administration’s changes to the USPS are loosely veiled attempts to make it harder for some people to vote amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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Foster said he was speaking out Tuesday “to stand up for the U.S. Postal Service and the hardworking men and women” who deliver prescriptions, Social Security benefits, tax returns and countless other essential items to residents each day.

A fully functioning postal service is “vital” to the U.S. economy, and the “health and well-being of millions of Americans,” Foster said at a news conference outside Aurora’s Kenneth M. Christy Post Office, named for a longtime letter carrier in the city.

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“Millions of business, large and small,” also rely on the postal service to deliver products and connect with customers, said Foster (D-Naperville).

“That’s why it is disgraceful that President Trump and his political appointees have been deliberately trying to weaken and delay the USPS in the run-up to the national election,” Foster said. “We will not stand by as they try to manipulate the Postal Service to suppress votes and to try to scare people out of exercising their right to participate in this election.”

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“This should not be about Trump trying to score some political advantage; this should be about making sure that every voter has the ability to cast their vote securely and in the manner of their choice,” Foster continued.

Underwood (D-Naperville) shared stories from several constituents who rely on the Postal Service for their livelihoods, including a ceramic artist from Elburn whose business has been hamstrung by delivery disruptions.

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“The recent changes to postal standards made by the Trump administration are simply unacceptable,” Underwood said, calling for Congress to pass a $25 billion emergency funding package for the U.S. Postal Service.

The U.S. House is set to vote on the funding bill over the weekend, a day after DeJoy is set to testify in front of the U.S. Senate. Dejoy is scheduled to the U.S. House on Monday.

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The first-term representative said she is “horrified by this administration's efforts to dismantle this essential service” and called for an immediate reversal of the new measures, which came moments after she spoke.

As U.S. Rep. Sean Casten (D-Downers Grove) took over the podium from Underwood, he said his phone was “lighting up” with notifications that DeJoy announced he was suspending many of his new changes until after the 2020 election “to avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail.”

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“But let’s be really clear what that means. It means he was lying when he said he had no choice” but to implement the changes, Casten said.

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