Two members of Congress from Texas are pushing for a public hearing with the U.S. Postal Service to address employee heat-related illnesses and deaths.
The call to action comes just months after the death of an employee due to heat exposure. In June of this year, 66-year-old Eugene Gates, a 36-year-long employee of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), collapsed and died in front of his Lakewood residence. The “oppressive heat” experienced that day was thought to have contributed to his death, with the heat index on the day reaching 115 degrees, the highest it hit since 1980, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
The USPS created the Heat Illness Prevention Program (HIPP) to help reduce occurrences of heat-related injuries. However, lawmakers are seeking more oversight.
Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), Greg Casar (D-TX), and Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) issued a letter to Rep. James Comer (R-KY), chairman of the House Oversight Committee, on December 19, urging for a hearing to determine whether the USPS’s efforts were sufficient.