The head of the U.S. Postal Service will testify Friday before the Republican-led Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, a panel spokesman confirmed Tuesday. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy faces bipartisan criticism asserting he has made changes that have slowed mail deliveries just months before the Nov. 3 presidential election.
The postmaster general, who took control of the agency in June, previously agreed to testify next Monday before the Democrat-led House Oversight Committee.
DeJoy’s pending testimony comes as millions of Americans fearful of voting at polling places due to the coronavirus pandemic prepare to vote by mail in the November 3 election, raising concerns the Postal Service is not able to handle in a timely manner an anticipated record-setting surge in mail-in ballots.
The Senate panel said the hearing will scrutinize the “finances and operations of the United States Postal Service during COVID-19 and upcoming elections.” COVID-19 is the illness caused by the coronavirus.
One day before DeJoy’s appearance before the Senate committee, Democrats in the House of Representatives plan to vote to limit changes they contend would inhibit the processing of mailed-in ballots and provide an additional $25 billion in funding for the agency.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the Democratic-controlled House back into session Sunday from its summer recess to vote on the Postal Service funding and reverse DeJoy-instituted changes they claim would possibly keep mailed-in ballots from arriving at election offices throughout the country in time to be counted in the election.
Senate Republicans this week are expected to introduce coronavirus relief legislation that will include billions for the Postal Service. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has not said, however, if he will bring senators back from recess to vote on the measure.
President Donald Trump, who said Monday he wants to “speed up” mail deliveries, said last week he opposes additional funding for the agency. For months, the Republican president has insisted, without evidence, that states mailing ballots to voters will lead to election fraud, a rigged vote against him, and more widespread voting by Democrats.
Trump defended DeJoy, who has donated $1.2 million to his campaign since 2016 and almost $1.3 million to the Republican Party, for taking significant steps to cut costs at the agency and improve its performance.
Pelosi accused Trump of conducting a “campaign to sabotage the election by manipulating the Postal Service to disenfranchise voters.”
