April 24, 2024 11:10 a.m.

On Tuesday Senator Ron Wyden joined his Senate Colleagues in pushing for change to protect the jobs, businesses, and Americans who rely on the United States Postal Service.

Wyden’s release said more and more Oregonians are growing dissatisfied with the USPS for its price hikes coupled with inefficiency under Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.

In a letter to the USPS Board of Governors, the senators noted DeJoy’s tenure has produced higher prices and poor service. USPS announced earlier this month that the cost of First-Class Mail Forever stamps would increase to 73 cents in July.

The letter said, “We have a vested interest in seeing USPS succeed. Our constituents rely on it for their daily correspondence, bills, life-saving medications, and sometimes, their livelihood. The U.S. Postal Service is, by law, a fundamental service provided to the people by our government”.  They continued, “It has become clear that under the Delivering for America plan, USPS is continuing to implement changes that are harmful to Americans and the American businesses that rely on the service. As the Board of Governors, you must step in before further harm is caused”.

The release said despite Congress passing bipartisan legislation and appropriating additional funds that took USPS from $9.2 billion in losses in 2020 to a one-time spike in net income to $57 billion in 2022, leadership at USPS has continued to increase postage rates. Since 2022, the price of First-Class stamps increased from 60 cents to 68 cents, with an additional 5-cent increase announced for this July.

The letter, led by Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin was also signed, in addition to Wyden, by five other senators.