House hearing urges pause to Delivering for America, flags service, pension and rural-access risks

WASHINGTON — Witnesses and members of the House Oversight and Reform subcommittee called on the incoming postmaster general and the Postal Service’s board of governors on Monday to pause implementation of parts of the Delivering for America plan and provide clearer data on operations, citing continued service delays, steep recent losses and risks to rural communities.

The hearing focused on the postal service’s finances, operational changes under the Delivering for America (DFA) initiative, and policy options including increased public–private partnerships, changes to how retirement assets are invested and protections for universal service. “The Deliverance for America plan, despite its stated goals, is pushing the Postal Service further away from its core mission of providing reliable, affordable universal service,” said Jim Cochran, chief executive officer of the Package Shippers Association.

Why it matters: The Postal Service is legally required to provide universal service to all addresses. Several witnesses warned that network changes and planned rate increases risk worsening service and driving away volume that funds the agency. They also urged immediate attention to safety for letter carriers after the June death of a Dallas letter carrier, which the National Association of Letter Carriers’ president invoked as evidence of on-the-job hazards.

Industry witnesses and union leaders urged a strategic pause on discretionary capital projects and rate increases while new leadership evaluates results. “A new vision must be implemented to quickly reverse the negative financial results,” Paul Steedler, a senior…