The outpouring of support that we’ve seen in the past month for the U.S. Postal Service’s frontline workers is inspiring and heartwarming.

As a retired postal employee who spent 32 years as a letter carrier, I can assure those who have rallied against cuts in service and called on lawmakers to fully fund the Postal Service that you are making a difference and it’s much appreciated.

I also want to tell you: Don’t give up. We’re at a critical juncture, not only for the future of the Postal Service but also for a free and fair election this November.

I, like millions of others, intend to cast my ballot by mail and am confident that the Postal Service has the ability to deliver it in time, if Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s cost-cutting measures are halted. Delivering ballots on time is a responsibility that postal employees take seriously. We are proud of being part of a 250-year tradition of delivering ballots.

However, the removal of sorting machines from processing plants, overtime being restricted and trucks being held to a rigid schedule, regardless of whether the mail is ready, creates a threat to democracy.

While DeJoy told Congress that he would suspend many of his cost-cutting changes until after the election, he lacked specifics and his refusal to accept responsibility is troubling.

If delivering the mail went as smoothly as DeJoy passes the buck, the U.S. Postal Service wouldn’t have any problems at all.

Unfortunately, since DeJoy took over as head of the Postal Service in June, we’ve seen significant roadblocks put in place that slow the mail. As a longtime postal employee, I’ve seen many changes to the Postal Service, but none as detrimental as the recent ones.

If you’re a senior waiting on prescription medication to arrive or a working parent waiting for a paycheck or one of the tens of millions who rely on the Postal Service to deliver important documents or packages, there’s a chance you’ve already felt the impact of DeJoy’s cost-cutting measures. But truthfully, all mail is important to someone. Someone paid for the service, and that should be honored.

DeJoy’s insistence that the cost-cutting is not related to President Trump’s desire to undermine the USPS by limiting the resources to handle the expected surge in absentee ballots rings hollow. After all, President Trump has been vocal in his opposition to the Postal Service.

Everything that DeJoy has done since taking the helm of the Postal Service has been done under the guise of cost cutting. The reality is that it’s service cutting. In July, trucks transporting mail from the processing facilities to other offices were instructed to leave on time, even if that meant leaving mail behind. Carriers have been instructed to leave for the street, even if all the mail isn’t ready.

Congress must hold the postmaster general accountable. We can’t rely on DeJoy to cease his service-destroying ideas. Oversight and funding of the Postal Service are critical for both the upcoming election and on into the future.

The U.S. House of Representatives, spurred into action by public outcry, approved the Delivering for America Act, which has allocated $25 billion in emergency funding and stops the further erosion of service by preventing any operational changes until the end of the pandemic. It is imperative that the U.S. Senate does its job and give this legislation a hearing, something it has yet to do. This isn’t a partisan issue – it’s an American issue.

Voting by mail has been proven to be a secure and effective way for Americans to make their voices heard. In states that have moved to vote-by-mail as their primary method of voting, there’s been increased participation across the political spectrum.

No voter should be disenfranchised because the Postal Service lacks the resources to ensure ballots are delivered in time to meet deadlines. A fully functioning Postal Service is essential to our democracy.

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