Adams Leads Week of Advocacy for USPS

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Alma S. Adams (NC-12) spent the past week fighting to preserve and protect the United States Postal Service, an essential service established by the Constitution of the United States.

"The United States Postal Service was established by our Constitution, and this year it will play an unprecedented role in guaranteeing our right to vote," said Congresswoman Adams. "However, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy continues his unconstitutional sabotage of our Postal Service with complete disregard for the institution's promise of the 'safe and speedy transit of the mail' and the 'prompt delivery of its contents.'"

"If the slowdowns and sabotage continue, the Postmaster General should be removed," concluded Adams.

Background:

• The power vested in Congress by the Constitution authorizes "the carriage of the mail, and all measures necessary to secure its safe and speedy transit, and the prompt delivery of its contents."
• According to news reports, the Postal Service "is reeling from mail delays and financial problems as record numbers of ballots are expected in the November presidential election."
• "Major operational changes" that "slow down mail delivery" are at the behest of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a major Trump donor.
• "It appears that the 108-year-old credo ["Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds"] may have met its match in new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy,"reports Fortune Magazine.
• This week, Rep. Adams led a letterwith 130 of her colleagues requesting strong support for USPS in federal COVID-19 relief legislation.
• Afterwards, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY)sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoycalling for the reversal of recently instituted operational changes made within the Postal Service.
• Adams spoke with Spectrum Newsto warn of USPS delays and was quoted in the Charlotte Observer about problems facing the Post Office.
• Adams penned an op-ed in QCity Metro that mentioned the threat to the election posed by the dismantling of USPS.
• Adams showed consistent support for absentee voting and vote-by-mail through the Post Office.
• Finally, Adams joined a bipartisan letter to the Postmaster General, which read, "It is vital that the U.S. Postal Service not reduce mail delivery times, which could harm rural communities, seniors, small businesses, and millions of Americans who rely on the mail for critical letters and packages. Eliminating overtime and directing postal workers to leave mail on the floor of postal facilities will erode confidence in the Postal Service and drive customers away, resulting in even worse financial conditions in the future."

Congresswoman Alma Adams represents North Carolina's 12^th Congressional District (Charlotte) and serves as Vice Chair of the House Committee on Agriculture. Additionally, she serves on the House Financial Services Committee and the House Education & Labor Committee, where she serves as Chair of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee.