Rep. Susie Lee Helps Pass Emergency Legislation to Protect the Postal Service, Continues Push for Emergency COVID-19 Relief
Statement
U.S. Rep. Susie Lee (Nev.-03) helped pass the Delivering for America Act, which protects and strengthens the United States Postal Service (USPS) as the agency faces deliberate delays from the current administration.
The Delivering for America Act would:
-Prohibit the Postal Service from implementing any changes to operations or level of service it had in place on January 1, 2020.
-Provide $25 billion in critical funding to support the Postal Service: the same level of funding recommended by the USPS Board of Governors.
"Today, we voted to protect one of our nation's most basic and essential services," said Rep. Lee. "The deliberate delays of vital postal services have far-reaching consequences for Nevada veterans, seniors, small businesses, to name a few. These delays can mean that a veteran doesn't get his life-saving prescription on time, or a working mother is late paying her electric bill. Failing to provide those basic services is a failure of our democracy. The Delivering for America Act will protect the Postal Service by stopping the administration from making aggressive operational changes that lead to harmful delays, and providing $25 billion in emergency funding to guarantee USPS can provide essential services during the coronavirus pandemic."
Rep. Lee continues to emphasize that while protecting USPS is vital, Americans need Congress to provide additional emergency COVID-19 relief:
"While passing legislation today to protect the Postal Service is absolutely vital, we can't forget about the millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet during the pandemic," said Rep. Lee. "It's been almost three weeks since the expanded $600 per week in unemployment benefits expired. While the House passed the Heroes Act over three months ago to extend these benefits, we can't stop trying. Nevadans are still counting on this relief to keep a roof over their heads. That's why I'm calling on the House and Senate, Democrats and Republicans, to pass an emergency extension of unemployment benefits as soon as possible, and then to come to the table to negotiate a comprehensive relief package."
BACKGROUND: Rep. Susie Lee voted in person in Washington D.C. today for the Delivering for America Act.
Protecting the Postal Service
-Earlier this week, Rep. Lee held a press conference calling on the current administration to stop the deliberate delays within the United States Postal Service. She stood alongside southern Nevada veterans, senior citizens, families, and local postal workers whose livelihoods and health are threatened by the administration's attempt to weaken the Postal Service.
-The Heroes Act--emergency coronavirus relief package passed by the House of Representatives over three months ago--includes $25 billion in emergency funding for the USPS, along with $3.6 billion for the equipment, supplies, and staffing needed to safely and securely administer the 2020 election.
Passing Coronavirus Relief
-This week, in a letter to House leadership, Rep. Lee and 113 of her colleagues urged Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.-12) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (Md.-05) to bring to a vote, emergency legislation to extend the $600/week in emergency unemployment benefits that expired at the end of July 2020.
-This week, Rep. Lee also made a joint push with fellow Nevada Congressman Mark Amodei (Nev.-02) and 16 other Democratic and Republican colleagues to call on both parties in Congress to resume COVID-19 relief package negotiations as soon as possible.
-The House of Representatives passed a $3 trillion emergency relief package, the Heroes Act, over three months ago, which includes and extension of the expanded emergency unemployment benefits.
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