Postal reform bill and efforts to remove Postmaster DeJoy remain stalled

[turbinetree]

By Jon King, Michigan Advance
Published February 25, 2022

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Despite overwhelming passage in the U.S. House of Representatives, legislation that would overhaul the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) remains hung up on a technicality in the Senate.

Meanwhile, efforts also are stalled from progressives to remove Postmaster Louis DeJoy, a Trump appointee who purposely brought about changes that slowed mail service — including removing 671 sorting machines — prior to the 2020 election.

DeJoy is currently embroiled in a dispute over a $11.3 billion contract that would purchase 165,000 new trucks for USPS, 90% of which would be gas-powered, effectively ignoring one of President Biden’s first Executive Orders, which called for “clean and zero-emission vehicles for Federal, State, local, and Tribal government fleets, including vehicles of the United States Postal Service” no later than 2035.

https://www.rawstory.com/postal-reform-bill-and-efforts-to-remove-postmaster-dejoy-remain-stalled/

Maybe Scott has it in his 11 page manifesto, the one that just screws all middle class people....

[lagomorph777]

1. Is SineManchin behind this mess?

[WHITT]

2. Sigh

[lagomorph777]

5. OK - I read the story.

Rick Scott is being allowed to hold up the bill (we really should ignore "blue cards" just as McTurtle does, but we are too fucking polite).

And for some reason, one of Biden's nominees is a Reptilican.

[WHITT]

7. Oh No

That wasn't meant for you. That was intended for the thought that it was the undynamic duo striking again.

[lagomorph777]

8. No prob. You made me read though and learn the real issues.

[WHITT]

9. We're Good

[Celerity]

3. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) blocked it from proceeding due to a minor clerical error

Scott said on the Senate floor that while he “absolutely supports getting something done to reform the postal service” he believes the bill as currently written “doesn’t fix the underlying issues” and wants the legislation to instead proceed through the Senate committee process.

In response, Peters said that despite broad bipartisan support for the bill, “a procedural blocking technique” was slowing down the effort and that “every day we wait, it puts the Postal Service in more jeopardy. It’s time for action now.”

He also noted that since 2000, there had been five similar clerical mistakes in the transfer of a bill and that in all five instances they were settled quickly, “because people say it’s just a mistake; let’s move on with the business of the people. Let’s not play games.”

Schumer said because of Scott’s objection, a lengthy procedural process will be needed to approve the bill and bring it up for a vote. While he still predicts it will pass, it can’t be taken up again until senators return from break on March 7.

[durablend]

11. Yeah bullshit

Scott thinks it need to be defunded

[left-of-center2012]

4. I don't think Congress controls who is the postmaster general

[lagomorph777]

6. Indirectly they do. Senate confirms board nominees; board chooses the postmaster.

[Hoyt]

10. DeJoy told Congress last year he'd order more EVs if Congress comes up with the funding. Nothing

so far.

On Feb 22, 2022 DeJoy said:

"But DeJoy, an ally of former President Donald Trump, said more of the electric vehicles can be purchased under the contract if additional funding "from either internal or congressional sources becomes available.”

"It would cost an extra $3.3 billion to convert the entire Postal Service fleet to electric vehicles. Money is included in Biden’s Build Back Better plan, but that proposal remains stalled in Congress.

https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/usps-final-signoff-order-delivery-vehicles-83064472


They are only ordering 50,000 replacement trucks for the next 10 years. Plenty of time to revise orders, etc.

If Congress gets around to passing the The Postal Service Reform Act, that will likely help generate some internal funding, assuming the retirement prefunding requirement is removed or reduced.