U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff

On Aug. 22, U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) voted yes on H.R. 8015, the Delivering for America Act, a critical bill to save the U.S. Postal Service. The bill passed the House by a vote of 257-150.

“Every day, millions of Americans rely on the USPS – to receive medications, conduct business, stay in contact, and, beginning in just a few weeks, vote by mail. That’s why I just voted to protect the USPS from damage and delays resulting from the actions of the Trump administration’s Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy,” Schiff said. “While the Postmaster General has suspended his sweeping new restrictions that are negatively impacting veterans, small businesses and everyday Americans, we have a ways to go. These policies must be reversed and critically needed funding for the USPS must be provided.”

The Delivering for America Act has several key provisions, including prohibiting the Postal Service from implementing or approving any changes to the operations or service levels in effect on Jan. 1, 2020, that would impede prompt, reliable and efficient service.  The prohibition remains in effect during the duration of the coronavirus public health emergency or January 2021, whichever is later.

It also requires the Postal Service to treat all election mail as first-class mail and provides $25 billion in critically-needed emergency appropriations for the Postal Service, the level of funding recommended by the USPS Board of Governors, which is composed of Trump administration appointees.

U.S. Rep. Ted W. Lieu (D-Torrance) also praised the House passage of the Delivering for America Act.

“In the last few months, my office has received complaints about slow, incomplete and inadequate mail service in our district,” Lieu said. “We now know that these recent problems are driven by cuts and changes made to the USPS by the Trump administration. Poor mail service hurts our country. We just passed the Delivering for America Act because Trump’s efforts to dismantle the Postal Service haven’t gone unnoticed and won’t go unchecked. Americans rely on timely mail service for their businesses, their health, their finances and everything in between. Good mail service is even more essential during the pandemic and will be critical to our democracy in November. We are committed to ensuring everyone’s right to vote, and protecting our Postal Service is critical to protecting vote by mail.”

For information, visit schiff.house.gov and lieu.house.gov.