LaMalfa Supports Delivering for America Act

(Washington, DC) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) issued the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 8015, the Delivering for America Act. H.R. 8015 would prohibit any short-term changes to the United States Postal Service's (USPS) operations, from those in effect on January 1, 2020, that may potentially reduce service. Specifically, the prohibited reforms include:

• Closure or consolidation of post offices
• Restricting overtime pay
• Removing or decommissioning mail sorting machines
• Removing the blue public street side mailboxes available to the public
• Instituting a hiring freeze

Additionally, this bill prohibits treating election mail as anything other than First Class Mail. Election mail includes voter registration application forms, voter registration cards, absentee ballot application forms, and other election materials. This bill would ensure that the USPS postmark, process, and clear election mail on the day it is received.

This bill would also appropriate $25 billion to the Postal Service Fund.

LaMalfa said: "Stability of essential government services like the Postal Service is extremely important for our country right now. For what Americans can't get in town, they rely on the Postal Service to expeditiously deliver to their homes. Whether that be medication, election mail, bills, or other necessary letters and packages – Americans rightfully expect their mail to timely arrive.

"Unfortunately, a shameful amount of misinformation about USPS, its financials, and its capacity to handle all mail, including mail-in ballots, has led to anxiety and thus the swift consideration of this bill. In this heightened political atmosphere, this bill lacks the necessary reforms to address the USPS's day-to-day operations, like cost-effective and efficient handling and delivery, or its long-term financial solvency.H.R. 8015 will serve as a temporary lifeline and a line of credit for the USPS to operate effectively through the COVID-19 pandemic as well as election season.

"There is plenty to dislike about the politics and process that brought this bill to the Floor, but I've listened to my constituents, and their confidence in the Postal Service is of the utmost importance. We, in Northern California, rely on our front-line letter carriers and support personnel at the USPS to go the last mile to bring mail to many of our homes. I've previously fought against other measures affecting our Northern California postal system, such as the shutdown of processing centers in Marysville and Redding which forced all mail to go the West Sacramento sorting center, and thus increasing delivery times. We've worked to overcome mail delivery challenges for those displaced from the Camp Fire in Paradise and from the Carr Fire near Redding. I supported this bill to bring peace of mind to our constituents during this time, and to reinforce the importance of the Postal Service and its letter carriers' ability to serve our rural area."

###