Photo courtesy Facebook
by U.S. Sen. Peter Welch
Folks across Vermont have told me about how frustrated they are with the national management of the U.S. Postal Service.
Slow mail is causing massive problems in rural communities. I hear stories of prescriptions that expire by the time they arrive, Social Security checks coming late, and concerns about getting legal documents like passports on time.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: national postal leadership is failing our rural communities. That’s why I’m calling on President Biden to swiftly nominate candidates to fill upcoming vacancies on the USPS Board of Governors who will fight for our rural communities and hold Postmaster Louis DeJoy accountable.
We need strong leadership at the highest level of the USPS, because our rural towns are getting the short end of the stick. Meanwhile, our postal workers are trying to keep up with more demand and more difficult working conditions.
Vermont’s capital city is a frustrating example of the mismanagement. Just a few weeks ago, I visited the mobile post office in Montpelier and saw the terrible conditions workers faced.
The temporary postal trucks they were using didn’t have enough space to store all the mail, there were no lights for when it gets dark, and no heating for when it gets cold. That’s unacceptable.
Now the temporary trucks are gone and the capital of our state doesn’t have a retail post office. The state of Vermont has even offered temporary space for a post office in Montpelier, but the USPS apparently “isn’t interested” in taking their help.
People need to get their mail on time, especially in rural areas where folks rely on it for the products they need. I’m going to keep pressing the USPS to make sure they’re giving both rural communities and postal workers a fair shake.
I’m hopeful the Biden Administration will prioritize nominees who will hold DeJoy accountable and meet the needs of rural America
