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The Postmaster General Says He Will ‘Suspend’ Changes At The Postal Service Until After

The United States Postal Service logo is seen on a mailbox outside a post office in Los Angeles, California.
The United States Postal Service logo is seen on a mailbox outside a post office in Los Angeles, California.

The Postal Service recently warned 46 states and the District of Columbia that it cannot guarantee all ballots cast by mail for the November election will arrive in time to be counted. That warning comes as Postmaster General Louis DeJoy implemented cost-cutting measures that many blame for slow mail delivery. Videos and photos of mailboxes being picked up and carted away have flooded social media.

But after a huge outcry, DeJoy has announced that he’s suspending these measures until after the election.

The U.S. Postal Service will play a pivotal role in the upcoming election, given the global pandemic. And last week, President Donald Trump said he opposed funding the Postal Service and made false claims about the potential for mail-in voting to lead to fraud.

DeJoy is set to testify before the Senate on Friday. It will be the first time DeJoy answers lawmakers’s questions in public and he’s expected to be asked about his motivations for these cost-cutting measures.

Why is the U.S Postal Service in such financial trouble? And why are they required to be profitable? Plus, we answer your questions on the latest developments.

Copyright 2020 WAMU 88.5

Kaity Kline, Héctor Alejandro Arzate