Nancy Pelosi: Postmaster General’s Paused Service Cuts Don’t ‘Reverse Damage Already Wreaked’

The Wrap

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s Tuesday announcement that the USPS would be suspending its service cuts until after the election was “misleading” and did nothing to reverse the “damage already wreaked.”

“This morning, I spoke with Postmaster General DeJoy and conveyed to him that his announcement is not a solution and is misleading. The Postmaster General’s alleged pause is wholly insufficient and does not reverse damage already wreaked,” Pelosi said in a statement on Wednesday. “The Postmaster General frankly admitted that he had no intention of replacing the sorting machines, blue mailboxes and other key mail infrastructure that have been removed and that plans for adequate overtime, which is critical for the timely delivery of mail, are not in the works.”

“All of these changes directly jeopardize the election and disproportionately threaten to disenfranchise voters in communities of color,” she continued. “The Postal Service is Election Central during the pandemic, and Democrats will not allow the President to force Americans to choose between their health and their vote.”

*Also Read:* Amid Backlash, USPS Postmaster General Suspends Service Cuts Until After Election

On Tuesday, DeJoy — a Trump campaign superdonor who was appointed to the postmaster general position in May — said that he would be suspending the proposed and ongoing cost-cutting measures at the USPS until after the November election “to avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail.”

Many of the cuts, which also include ending overtime pay for mail carriers and reducing post office hours, have led to concerns that the election could be hindered, given that the mail delays could impact voters utilizing mail-in voting for the upcoming election due to the pandemic. The concerns have been amplified by President Trump, who has also openly admitted he is opposed to providing additional funding to the USPS because he believes making mail-in voting more difficult will help his reelection chances.

DeJoy is expected to testify before the Senate on Friday and the House on Monday as Congress investigations potential election interference.

*Related stories from TheWrap:*

Amid Backlash, USPS Postmaster General Suspends Service Cuts Until After Election

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