WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) took to the Senate Floor yesterday to call out Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s failure to deliver for rural America. Welch pointed to the postal delays plaguing Vermont and other rural areas because of DeJoy’s policies, and the lack of a fully functioning Post Office in Vermont’s capital city as examples: 

“This is the United States of America. The Postal Service is older than the Constitution itself. The original infrastructure that we began building were roads to connect one Postal Service to another. That’s what it was about. And it’s getting wrecked. And the wreckage by Postmaster General DeJoy is reflected in his unresponsive attitude towards everyday Americans in every District of this country—and it’s got to end,” said Senator Welch. “There’s independence with the Postal Service—that’s to avoid Congressional meddling. But is it Congressional meddling when we’re sticking up for the businesses in our communities, for the senior citizens in our communities, for the kids who, in fact, do like getting cards from their grandfather and grandmother? No, I don’t think that’s meddling. That’s demanding service. What is unacceptable is a postal management service that won’t even pick up the phone and meet with members of Congress on behalf of their citizens or, more importantly, get the job done on behalf of all the people we represent.” 

Watch the Senator’s remarks here:  

In July 2023, Vermont experienced catastrophic flooding and the Montpelier Post Office was flooded. Repairs to the building are expected to take several years. The Post Office operated out of a series of temporary locations in and nearby Montpelier but has not re-opened a permanent retail post office in Montpelier since the flood.  

Vermont’s Congressional Delegation has called on DeJoy to restore full service in downtown Montpelier, and work with the community and Vermont leaders. Sen. Welch also led a letter with several Senate colleagues to President Biden, urging him to nominate leaders to the USPS Board of Governors who will meet the needs of rural customers.  

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