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Schumer calls for emergency $25 billion for U.S. Postal Service

Senator Charles Schumer spoke near the USPS Post Office on N. Winton Rd. in Rochester on Thursday.
Noelle E. C. Evans | WXXI News
Senator Charles Schumer spoke near the USPS Post Office on N. Winton Rd. in Rochester on Thursday.

 

Senator Chuck Schumer (D-New York) urged the Trump administration and Congress to negotiate a new coronavirus relief bill and provide emergency funds to the United States Postal Service. 

During a stop in Rochester on Thursday, the Senate Minority Leader said that without $25 billion in emergency funding, vital mail delivery of medications, paychecks, and mail-in ballots would be compromised.

After meeting with the new Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy, he said it was evident that the future of the Postal Service as an institution is at risk of being dismantled.

“The president has appointed someone who really seems to be a political hack,” said Schumer. “His main claim to fame is that he contributed a lot of money to the president’s campaign. He has no postal experience.”

Kenny Montgomery, labor union president of National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 210, said that while other businesses have received bailouts, the Postal Service is struggling. 

In April, Postmaster General DeJoy told Congress that the Postal Service could face $13 billion in revenue losses this year. About 2,200 people are employed with the Postal Service in the Rochester-Finger Lakes Region.

“We believe it’s an honest effort on the part of the administration to discredit the postal service to drive a wedge between the American public and the Postal Service so that they don’t have confidence in our ability to send in your vote,” Montgomery said.

President Donald Trump told Fox News earlier on Thursday that he would not approve a $25 billion bailout to the Postal Service because he opposes universal mail-in voting, which he claimed would lead to voter fraud despite a lack of evidence.

Noelle E. C. Evans is WXXI's Murrow Award-winning Education reporter/producer.