As the Trump-allied Postmaster General Louis DeJoy continues to face steep criticism over his policy changes that have undercut the Postal Service, the House has prepared a piece of legislation meant to protect the services that the agency provides amidst the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. The House was slated to vote this Saturday on the Delivering for America Act, which, if enacted, would temporarily prohibit the Postal Service from making any major service-affecting changes to the policy and operations protocols that were in effect on January 1, 2020. On Saturday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) spoke out to bring attention to the legislation on Twitter and at a press conferece.
On Twitter, she said:
‘Today, the House will take a stand and reject the Trump Administration’s efforts to undermine the critical mission of the Postal Service. #DontMessWithUSPS’
Today, the House will take a stand and reject the Trump Administration’s efforts to undermine the critical mission of the Postal Service. #DontMessWithUSPS
Tune in as I speak with reporters at 12 noon ET: https://t.co/2fi357l3G3
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) August 22, 2020
At her subsequent press conference, discussing issues like DeJoy’s claim that election-related mail would be prioritized, Pelosi added:
‘His comments are one thing, his actions will be another. And that’s why we have this legislation… Our legislation is not just about the election. It’s about – surprise, surprise Mr. Postmaster General – coronavirus.’
"Our legislation is not just about the election. It’s about – surprise, surprise Mr. Postmaster General – coronavirus," she adds.
— Heather Caygle (@heatherscope) August 22, 2020
The Delivering for America Act was also slated to include $25 billion in emergency financial support for the Postal Service. The Democrat-led House already approved that amount in the HEROES Act, which is a broader, Coronavirus-related financial assistance package that the House passed over three months ago, but the Republican-led Senate has refused to take up that legislation for consideration. Pelosi noted, discussing the aid in general, that she’s “not for splitting it up, except this is an emergency and it has policy in it that was not in the Heroes Act,” which didn’t include that temporary prohibition on major operations changes.
Pelosi did not seem too concerned about Republican opposition to the Delivering for America Act. On Saturday, Republican leaders like White House chief of staff Mark Meadows spoke out, complaining that Dems were supposedly ignoring the real problems — but the House passed the HEROES Act over three months ago! In the time since, the GOP-led Senate has passed no similar legislation. Pelosi noted that the complaining Republican House members will “be hearing from their constituents because this hits home.”
Pelosi brushes off GOP opposition to postal bill:
"They’ll be hearing from their constituents because this hits home," noting it's not just ballots, it's Rx medicine, social security payments and even live stock (the chicks!).
— Heather Caygle (@heatherscope) August 22, 2020
Check out Twitter’s response to her below:
