USPS Slowdown Prompts Lawsuit by 20 Attorneys General

The United States Postal Service is reportedly slowing down deliveries while raising prices. As a result, 20 attorneys general have filed a lawsuit against the agency overseeing the USPS.

Nationwide Effect

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy ordered the slowdown that began on October 1, 2021. Up 30 percent of packages will arrive in up to 5 days instead of 2 to 3 days. The USPS now depends on ground transport to move first-class mail instead of planes which DeJoy believes is cheaper and more affordable.  USPS also thinks this move will help it reach a goal of 95 percent on-time delivery for this mail, up about 7 percent from last quarter.

Effectively, Americans will be “paying more and get less,” explains Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence. She added this does not make sense.

Lawrence has a 30-year career as a postal worker herself. She is seeking to understand the motive behind this move, stating “to change the standard without it being vetted is unacceptable.” However, she is not the only government official looking for answers.

Response From Around The Country

The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) is the independent federal agency with oversight over the Postal Service’s operations. Now, some attorneys general are suing the PRC did not do a good job observing and assessing the USPS plan.

As of Thursday, 20 state officials ranging from California to New York are said to be involved. The lawsuit asserts the federal oversight agency only looked at a portion of the 10-year plan that will “transform virtually every aspect of the Postal Service.”

According to CBS News, the PRC cannot comment on the lawsuit due to regulations. However, it is reported that the USPS commented about the case in an email. Apparently, the USPS feels the suit “has no legal or factual merit, and the Postal Service intends to move to dismiss it pursuant to the rules of the Postal Regulatory Commission.” It mentions:

The Postal Service has and will continue to follow all statutory and regulatory requirements as we move forward on implementing our strategic plan to restore service excellence and financial sustainability.

This move comes at a pivotal moment as the country braces for a busy holiday season. Small business owners will have to pay more to endure the slowdown that disrupts their business outlook for this quarter. As a result, Americans will have to wait longer for things like letters, bills, and much-needed prescriptions.

Written by Chiagozie Onyewuchi
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware

Source:

CBS News: USPS mail slowdown sparks lawsuit from 20 state attorneys general; by Aimee Picchi

Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Tony Webster’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Adam Burt’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License