The Senate has a short window before the new Congress takes office in January, but the decisions it makes about the U.S. Postal Service could have consequences for years to come.
Namely, those decisions are appointments to the Postal Service’s Board of Governors, the body responsible for overseeing an agency that millions of Americans depend on, including rural Missouri communities where reliable delivery is especially important.
These appointments come at a time when mail delays, financial pressures, and questions about agency leadership remain serious concerns. And with the lame-duck session underway, there are important questions about how carefully each nominee will be reviewed.
Missouri Senator Josh Hawley knows these challenges well. Hawley has pressed Postal Service leadership over mail delays and executive compensation. He also sits on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which reviews nominees to the Postal Service’s Board of Governors.
The Board isn’t just another advisory group in Washington. Its members make important decisions about how the Postal Service is run, how money is spent, and who leads the agency. Those decisions can have real consequences for rural post offices, delivery routes, and the communities that depend on them.
That’s why each nominee’s individual qualifications should be carefully scrutinized. Do they understand the needs of rural communities? Do they understand the responsibility to provide dependable service across long distances, regardless of financial pressures? How would they hold Postal Service leadership accountable when service falls short? And do their backgrounds or business relationships raise questions about their ability to make independent decisions?
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