In response to the Postmaster General’s announcement that the Trump Administration will suspend its slowdown of mail delivery that has harmed veterans, seniors, and Americans across the country who depend USPS for their medicines and critical supplies, Congressional Integrity Project spokesperson Michael Czin released the following statement:
“Ron Johnson has all the courage of a soldier who arrives the day after battle to declare victory. While the Trump administration has backed off their plans to dismantle the Post Office for now, Ron Johnson did next to nothing to stand up for the millions of Wisconsinites that rely on the service. “We would all be better off if Johnson spent more time actually performing oversight of the government and a lot less time spearheading election-year partisan investigations.”
For more information on the Congressional Integrity Project’s work visit:
www.congressionalIntegrity.org. For the latest updates, follow @USIntegrityProj on Twitter.
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Johnson’s Record Overseeing the United States Postal Service:
JOHNSON IS CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE THAT OVERSEES USPS
Johnson Is The Chairman Of The Committee Overseeing The Postal Service. “The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has jurisdiction over the United States Postal Service.” [HSGAC Website, Accessed 8/18/20]
According To The Lugar Center, Johnson Has Chaired Just Two Full Committee Hearings On The USPS That Were Not Nomination Hearings. [Lugar Center, accessed 8/16/20]
JOHNSON SAID HE WANTED USPS TO GO THROUGH BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS TO “TURN THE POST OFFICE INTO A PRIVATE ENTITY
“Johnson would like to see the USPS go through bankruptcy proceedings, which he said, ‘really would turn the post office into a private entity.’ He said he realizes there are political problems and constitutional issues with that position and is open to compromise.” [Washington Post, 11/10/14]
JOHNSON SAID USPS WAS “ON A CRASH COURSE,” FINANCIALLY UNSTABLE AND MAY NEED A BAILOUT
“The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which made Thursday’s vote, includes both senators from Wisconsin: Republican Ron Johnson and Democrat Tammy Baldwin. They’ve held opposing positions on postal reform for months. […] Johnson said he wants to protect taxpayers. ‘USPS is on a crash course,’ Johnson said. ‘If it is not fixed, it will need a taxpayer-funded bailout.’” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/7/14]
TO CUT COSTS, JOHNSON SUGGESTED REFINING USPS’S MANDATE FOR “UNIVERSAL SERVICE” WHICH WOULD CUT SERVICE FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES
Johnson On The USPS: “You mentioned universal service. One of the things we talked about is, you know, how do you–who’s going to define that? Is it–is it going to have to be done legislatively? Does Congress have to lay this out or do we use a different model or do you actually have the administrative capability? One of the issues raised in your governmental reforms is what can you do administratively versus what’s going to require legislation. I know that you’re kind of following that to be.Where do you come down on–on that issue when it comes–because I–I agree. I think we really do need to define universal service. What is essential? They began doing that in 2006, but we need to further refine that, if we’re going to make the postal system sustainable.” [HSGAC Hearing on USPS Sustainability, 3/12/19]
THE POST OFFICE SLOWDOWNS HAVE HIT WISCONSINITES AND THEIR BUSINESSES EXTREMELY HARD
JOURNAL TIMES: “Postal Service Slowdown Hits Wisconsin.” [Journal Times, 8/15/20]Wisconsin Businesses Began Noticing Substantially Longer Package Delivery Times. “Craig Brown started to notice it about three weeks ago when a customer who should have gotten a package within three days called to say it still hadn’t arrived after nearly two weeks. Brown, the owner of Steve’s Curling Supplies — named for his father — has since seen the same thing happen with other packages he’s shipped through the U.S. Postal Service. One package, he said, is still ‘in limbo.’ ‘It normally takes two days, and it’s been a month,’ he said. Thankful that it’s not the busy season, when he normally ships 30 to 50 packages a day, he’s looking with trepidation to the future.” [Journal Times, 8/15/20]
On Johnson’s Watch, Four Sorting Machines Were Removed And Employees Working Them Were Cut “And on June 6, four sorting machines at the distribution center in downtown Milwaukee were removed, with three more scheduled to go at a later date. That will leave the facility with 29 of the 36 sorting machines it had two months ago.” [Journal Times, 8/15/20]
Postmaster General DeJoy Directives Have Resulted In Wisconsin Packages Being Left For Days, Along With A Reduced Number Of Sorting Machines. “Postal union officials say that since joining the Trump administration, DeJoy has eliminated overtime at a time when the workforce is already shorthanded, issued a series of directives that leave packages languishing for days and reduced the number of sorting machines — the very ones used to process mail-in ballots — at key distribution centers across the country. That includes Milwaukee, where much of Dane County’s mail is processed.” [Journal Times, 8/15/20]
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