AUSTIN, Texas — Mike Siegel, Democratic candidate for Texas's 10th Congressional District, hosted a rally on Tuesday to save the U.S. Postal Service.
Siegel, mail carriers and Bill Moody, Branch 181 president of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), gathered at the Northcross Post Office in Austin.
The NALC represents letter carries across the country and is the largest of four unions representing employees of the United States Postal Service (USPS). NALC Branch 181 has more than 1,000 memebers in Central Texas.
“Letter Carriers from NALC Branch 181 are rallying alongside Mike Siegel to remind this administration that we are essential workers doing our job to deliver the mail, and it could use a lot less politics,” said Bill Moody, president of NALC Branch 181.
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Tuesday's rally comes after controversial changes from USPS's new leader, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. DeJoy, a donor to President Donald Trump, first moved to eliminate overtime and late delivery trips, stressing the cost-cutting measures will make the service more profitable.
On Thursday, Trump acknowledged he doesn't want to provide the agency with extra money to undercut its ability to process what is expected to be a record number of mail-in ballots this fall. Trump on Saturday attempted to re-calibrate his position. He said he supports more funding for the postal service but refuses to capitulate to other parts of the Democrats' relief package — including funding for cash-strapped states.
“With 77 days until the election, it is absolutely vital we have a fully functioning USPS so folks can safely vote by mail. People should not have to decide between participating in democracy and their health,” said Siegel.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called the U.S. House back into session over the crisis at the Postal Service. Dejoy will testify next Monday before Congress, along with the chairman of the Postal Service board of governors.
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