New Houghtaling & Downey Bill Calls for Immediate USPS Financial Assistance

Assembly resolution urges Congress to provide immediate financial assistance to the United States Postal Service due to COVID-19 health and economic crisis.OCEAN TOWNSHIP—Assembly Members Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey introduced a new bill this past week in a call for Congress to provide immediate financial assistance to the United States Postal Service, as a result of the public health and economic crisis caused by COVID-19 (AR181).

In order to prevent the department from facing insolvency, the resolution will urge Congress to provide immediate financial assistance to the Postal Service and to support the millions of residents who depend on the Postal Service.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was passed in March included a provision allowing the Postal Service to borrow up to $10 billion from the U.S. Treasury Department; however, the USPS has not accessed said funds due to the terms and conditions the loan would impose on the department. According to the Postal Service, the agency will run out of cash by the end of September if Congress does not act now and provide immediate financial assistance.

“The United States Post Office has been failing to deliver mail to Americans across the country in a timely and efficient manner,” said Downey (D-Freehold Township). “We have had many residents of Monmouth County reach out to us about not receiving their bills, medications, or other important documents and packages on time, and they are rightfully outraged. This matter needs to be fixed immediately, and we are calling on Congress to fully fund America’s Postal Service.”

The United States Postal Service and its more-than 600,000 employees serve the needs of 157 million business and residential customers six days a week, maintain an affordable and universal network, and connect the rural, suburban, and urban communities of the United States.

“In the midst of a global pandemic, the last thing people should be worrying about is whether their mail got delivered or if they will be receiving their mail in a timely fashion,” said Houghtaling (D-Neptune Township). “The USPS is responsible for connecting the people of this nation – they need to be able to do their job properly and efficiently without terms and conditions placed upon them.”