In Letter, Democratic Governors Call On President Trump and Mitch McConnell to End Attacks on United States Postal Service

Today, a coalition of 12 Democratic governors led by DGA Chair New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy sent a letter to President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell calling on them to end their attacks on the United States Postal Service. The governors also urge Congress to deliver an additional $25 billion in funding to the Post Office in order to ensure a safe, secure election this fall.

As the letter states, “The ongoing significant mail delays caused by the operational changes implemented by Postmaster General DeJoy as well as President Donald Trump’s continuous attacks on the integrity of the service threaten every single need the USPS fulfills.

“We want to be very clear: any threat to the United States Postal Service performing its mission is a threat to every American, and this assault on one of our nation’s most cherished and vital institutions must end. Period. Full stop.”

The letter was signed by:

Governor Phil Murphy, New Jersey

Governor Gavin Newsom, California

Governor Jared Polis, Colorado

Governor John Carney, Delaware

Governor Janet Mills, Maine

Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan

Governor Steve Bullock, Montana

Governor Steve Sisolak, Nevada

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, New Mexico

Governor Kate Brown, Oregon

Governor Tom Wolf, Pennsylvania

Governor Jay Inslee, Washington

A copy of the full letter can be read here and the text is below:

President Trump and Majority Leader McConnell: 

We have the privilege to represent over 175 million Americans, every one of whom relies on the United States Postal Service every single day. For owners of businesses small and large, the mail is often how they move their goods to customers — creating jobs and wealth. From our largest cities and suburbs to our most rural towns, the Postal Service is a lifeline to Americans’ family and friends, to the rest of their community, to their nation, and to the world. For our most vulnerable constituents, including the elderly and those with disabilities, it is literally a matter of life and death should their medications not arrive on time via the mail. For voters across the country, the USPS provides a secure way to participate in our democratic society. The ongoing significant mail delays caused by the operational changes implemented by Postmaster General DeJoy as well as President Donald Trump’s continuous attacks on the integrity of the service threaten every single need the USPS fulfills. 

We want to be very clear: any threat to the United States Postal Service performing its mission is a threat to every American, and this assault on one of our nation’s most cherished and vital institutions must end. Period. Full stop.

The importance of the USPS, across every need that it serves, has been greatly amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. From delivering critical goods, communications, and medications, the USPS has been necessary as individuals adapt to the realities of life during a pandemic. When it comes to securing our sacred right to vote and ability to do so safely, the USPS has never been more important. At the time of this letter, America has had nearly six million positive COVID-19 cases with over 181,000 deaths. America’s seniors— those who rely heavily on the USPS to participate in our democratic process—have been hit disproportionately hard. President Trump’s explicit threats to undermine the viability of voting by mail when months into this crisis we are still losing over 1,000 Americans per day is extremely reckless and irresponsible. Voting by mail does not favor any political party — it simply favors democracy. Supporting the United States Postal Service will save lives and expanding voting by mail ensures that the constitutional right of every citizen to cast their ballot this November will not be infringed upon. 

At this critical moment in our nation’s history, we should not be attacking the USPS. We should be supporting the hard-working individuals who make up the postal service and providing the resources necessary to ensure the delivery of everything from medication to ballots. According to the USPS’s own analysis, voters in as many as 46 states run the risk of being disenfranchised if the institution is unable to deliver ballots on time because they lack the resources to do so. It is unconscionable that anyone would choose to play political games with a service that we need now more than ever. To have a safe and fair election, it is imperative that the USPS is allowed to do its job unimpeded by partisan games. 

We are calling on you to deliver the additional $25 billion in funding requested earlier this year by the Board of Governors of the Postal Service and reverse any operational changes that hamper the ability of the USPS to process ballots and other mail in a timely manner. The commitment by the Postmaster General to delay any further operational changes until after the election is a step in the right direction, however, it is not enough. The removal of mailboxes and sorting machinery, and limiting the ability of postal workers to log overtime does not only affect the delivery of ballots, it is hurting the people we represent right now. We must allow the front-line workers of this institution to rise to this challenging period and serve their communities by enabling their work. 

Our citizens have the absolute right to know that they can vote safely without fear for their lives or fear that their ballot may arrive late or not ever arrive at its destination. They have the right to know that their medications will be there when they need them.  Businesses have the right to know that their ability to survive will not be threatened over political games. 

Our country deserves to have a Postal Service that delivers the mail on-time and supports our fundamental right to participate in democracy. The American people demand that you immediately end the ongoing threats to the United States Postal Service and cease attacks, both verbal and operational, on the integrity of the service.