Wyden Joins Colleagues in Calling for Extension of Current Postal Closing Moratorium
Washington, D.C. – Days after the Senate passed postal reform legislation that would have protected states that vote-by-mail or with large numbers of absentee balloting from the concern that postal closures too close to the election will disrupt their ability to vote, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) joined more than 40 Senate colleagues in a letter to the Postmaster General calling on the United States Postal Service to extend the current moratorium on postal closures beyond the May 15 deadline.
“We are deeply concerned that the closing of these postal facilities prior to postal reform legislation being enacted would be devastating to communities around the country,” the Senators wrote in the letter. “This moratorium will provide the time needed to enact the reforms in the 21st Century Postal Service Act. Again we strongly urge you to extend the current moratorium on the closing of postal facilities.”
The USPS has voluntarily agreed not to close any locations before May 15 and after August 30 of this year. However, they are free to close those facilities marked for closure – including up to 23 post offices and processing facilities in Oregon – between these two dates. Wyden has argued that closing these facilities this close to the presidential election does not allow enough time to ensure that all vote-by-mail ballots will be able to be processed in time for the election.
Click here to read the letter to the Postmaster General.
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