BALTIMORE, Md. — Complaints about slow mail delivery continue to pile up as Maryland lawmakers pressure the head of the U.S. Postal Service to do something about the delays.
Members of Maryland's congressional delegation sent Postmaster General Louis DeJoy a letter with a list of complaints they’ve from constituents, and asked the postmaster general to fix the problem.
The letter is signed by senators Chris van Hollen and Ben Cardin, along with congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony Brown, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone.
They pointed out the complaints about slow delivery service began last summer after DeJoy made a series of policy changes and cuts.
The changes were made in the middle of the pandemic while the U.S. Postal Service also experienced staffing shortages because of the virus.
They're asking for a return to the 2012 service standards, which they say would reinstate overnight delivery or shorten delivery time by a day.
The letter reminds DeJoy that when COVID-19 began, congress gave the postal service a ten billion dollar loan.
It’s a loan which no longer needs to be paid back since it was converted into a grant.
The lawmakers urge DeJoy to put the money to use to improve service and reduce the delays.
The members list of complaints from constituents who've had problems with mail delays include: late fees brought on by the late delivery of bill payments, delivery delays of vital prescriptions, and small businesses that are already struggling during the pandemic but are unable to fill customer orders on time.
You can read the letter here.
