Spanberger Launches New Survey on U.S. Postal Service Delays to Gather Information & Input from Central Virginians

Today, U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger launched a survey to gather information from her constituents about any mail delivery delays they are experiencing and their concerns about the future of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).

Spanberger’s survey is one aspect of her broader effort to respond to recent attacks on the U.S. Postal Service. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy – appointed by the Board of Governors of the U.S. Postal Service in May 2020 – has made major operational changes to the USPS during the COVID-19 pandemic which have contributed to significant mail delivery delays across the country, and have undermined the American people’s confidence in a 245-year-old, constitutionally-mandated institution.

In recent days, Spanberger has been a vocal about the numerous ways that weakening the USPS harms constituents in Central Virginia. Earlier today, DeJoy released a statement saying that these operational changes will be halted until after the 2020 election – however, concrete plans to do so have yet to be announced. DeJoy is scheduled to testify before the U.S. House Committee on Oversight next week.  

“Since Friday, my office has received more than 1,200 messages from Central Virginians voicing concern for the U.S. Postal Service and frustration at ongoing attempts to sabotage this vital institution. Our neighbors, seniors, and local business owners are concerned about the administration’s escalating hostility toward the Postal Service, and they don’t want to see their important mail and deliveries taken hostage during a blatantly political fight,” said Spanberger. “Each day, Americans in all fifty states use the USPS to send and receive paychecks, receive much-needed prescription drugs, fill customer orders for their small businesses, pay their bills on time, mail care packages and letters to their loved ones, and – during election season – vote safely and conveniently by mail. The service that the USPS provides is especially vital for rural Americans. Because private companies don’t see an economic incentive to serve these areas, the USPS often becomes responsible for making final delivery of UPS or FedEx packages to remote, rural addresses. In a district where seven out of our 10 counties are predominately rural, I am keenly aware of how damaging and isolating it would be to many of my constituents if the Postal Service was rendered nonfunctional.”

Central Virginians can click here to complete Spanberger’s brief USPS survey.

Spanberger is a cosponsor of the Delivering for America Act, a bill which would prohibit the USPS from making any structural changes impacting its service during the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation seeks to stabilize the USPS at a time when many Americans are relying on home deliveries and reliable mail service more than ever, and seeks to prevent any targeted structural changes that would weaken the USPS and discourage Americans from voting by mail in the fall.

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