The House Oversight and Reform Committee advanced legislation on Wednesday that would prevent appointments of those who have recently engaged in partisan political activities to leadership positions at the U.S. Postal Service.
The panel approved the bill by voice vote, but Democrats voted down multiple GOP amendments to increase penalties for tampering with postmarks and prevent postal workers from going on strike or using official time for union activity in the weeks leading up to the November elections.
The vote came as Postmaster General Louis DeJoy faces scrutiny for his efforts to raise money for Republicans before taking office in June.
The bill, authored by House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), would bar members of the Postal Service Board of Governors, the postmaster general and the deputy postmaster general from holding any political position while serving in their roles. Nominees for postmaster general and deputy postmaster general would also be limited to people who haven’t engaged in political activities like running for office or working for a political party in the last four years.
