Bid to keep politics out of elex mail

WASHINGTON — A new bill proposed in Congress aims to at least partially undo changes at the U.S. Postal Service that have slowed mail delivery and consolidated power in the hands of a Trump political appointee, all ahead of an election when much of America will vote by mail amid the pandemic.

Recent rule changes that alter schedules and cut overtime have led to widespread reports of delayed mail of letters, packages and even medication. And last week, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy ordered a major restructuring of the agency that critics say discards decades of experience and gives DeJoy greater control.

Democrats have raised alarms over DeJoy’s independence since his appointment just two months ago, pointing to nearly $3 million in donations he has made to Trump and other Republicans. They’ve recently accused him of “sabotage” heading into an election where half the nation may vote by mail.

President Trump himself has railed against mail-in balloting, arguing — without evidence — that it will be both riddled with fraud and doom Republican chances.

The bill proposed by Oversight Committee Chairwoman Rep. Carolyn Maloney (DN.Y.) would essentially reset service levels to at least the minimum they were at before DeJoy began wholesale changes.

“Our Postal Service should not become an instrument of partisan politics, but instead must be protected as a neutral, independent entity that focuses on one thing and one thing only — delivering the mail,” Maloney said in a statement Wednesday.

“When the number of Americans voting by mail for this presidential election is expected to more than double from the last, Congress must protect the right of all eligible citizens to have their vote counted,” Maloney said. “A once-in-a-century pandemic is no time to enact changes that threaten service reliability and transparency.”