IV 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 54 

Objecting to the slowdown in mail delivery and postage rate increase instituted 

by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and seeking to halt both actions 

pending further investigation. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 12, 2021 

Mr. MFUME (for himself, Ms. NORTON, Mr. CICILLINE, and Mr. 

KRISHNAMOORTHI) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Objecting to the slowdown in mail delivery and postage rate 

increase instituted by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy 

and seeking to halt both actions pending further investigation. 

Whereas the United States Postal Service deliberately started 

slowing its mail delivery on Friday, October 1, 2021, and 

plans to add rate hikes for mail delivery to the slowdown 

as part of an overt plan by Postmaster General Louis 

DeJoy; 

Whereas the most widespread and significant changes will affect first-class mail delivery, items such as letters, small 

packages, bills, and tax documents; 


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•HCON 54 IH 

Whereas prior to the changes by Postmaster General DeJoy, 

customers throughout the United States could expect 

first-class mail to reach its destination in 1 to 3 days; 

now, that timeframe will extend to between 1 and 5 days, 

even though the United States Postal Service is required 

by law to provide ‘‘prompt, reliable, and efficient services’’; 

Whereas Postmaster General DeJoy started his tenure in 

June 2020, then implemented operational changes at the 

United States Postal Service soon after by slowing mail 

delivery, reassigning and displacing 23 postal executives, 

and deactivating 10 percent of mail sorting machines to 

create a dayslong mail backlog; 

Whereas, on August 24, 2020, the Committee on Oversight 

and Reform of the House of Representatives held a hearing to hold Postmaster General DeJoy and the United 

States Postal Service Board of Governors accountable for 

a deterioration in mail delivery reliability in anticipation 

of the November 2020 elections; 

Whereas the hard work of the on-the-ground employees at the 

United States Postal Service combined with congressional 

intervention prevented the vote-by-mail components of 

the November 2020 elections from failing; 

Whereas the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the 

House of Representatives continued to hold Postmaster 

General DeJoy accountable after the November 2020 

elections, holding another congressional hearing on February 24, 2021, that— 

(1) examined legislative proposals to improve mail 

delivery performance standards; and 

(2) led to Postmaster General DeJoy’s public apology for slowdowns through the holiday season; 


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•HCON 54 IH 

Whereas the United States Postal Service is required by law 

to deliver to any postal address in the United States, no 

matter what; 

Whereas current United States Postal Service slowdowns 

could most affect the elderly, people with disabilities, and 

those in rural areas for whom mail delivery is critical to 

their health care, financial security, and connection to the 

broader world; 

Whereas affordability is a crucial aspect of the United States 

Postal Service, which is currently being undercut by price 

hikes on many first-class mail products according to the 

Postmaster General’s plan; 

Whereas the House of Representatives passed mail-in ballot 

delivery reforms through the For the People Act in 

March 2021, and multiple other measures have been introduced that could help the United States Postal Service 

provide more dependable service for the American people, 

including the United States Postal Service Fairness Act, 

the Vote By Mail Tracking Act, the Nonpartisan Postmaster General Act, the Postal Service Improvement Act, 

the bipartisan Postal Service Reform Act, the DEJOY 

Act, and the Postal Vehicle Modernization Act, as well as 

funding measures through the Build Back Better Act 

that could help electrify the United States Postal Service 

delivery vehicle fleet and modernize other equipment used 

by frontline employees; 

Whereas under Federal statute, the United States Postal 

Service must receive an advisory opinion from the independent Postal Regulatory Commission, which serves as 

a regulatory body for the United States Postal Service, 

when it seeks to implement reforms that would affect 

service on a nationwide basis; 


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•HCON 54 IH 

Whereas the Postal Regulatory Commission has signaled that 

United States Postal Service slowdowns under the plan 

might not have the intended effect, as the slowdowns are 

based on ‘‘unproven assumptions’’, and that the Postal 

Service would achieve only ‘‘paltry’’ savings from the 

Postmaster General’s plan; and 

Whereas the Postal Regulatory Commission’s advisory opinion does not carry the force of law, however, and even if 

the Commission ruled firmly against Postmaster General 

DeJoy’s plan, the agency could move forward anyway: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That— 

3 (1) Congress objects to the slowdown in mail 

4 delivery instituted by Postmaster General Louis 

5 DeJoy in his plan; and 

6 (2) the decisions to slow down mail and to in7 crease postage rates should be halted immediately 

8 pending further investigation and full substantiation 

9 by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to the Con10 gress. 

Æ 


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