Congressman Anthony Gonzalez
2458 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Senator Rob Portman
448 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Senator Sherrod Brown
503 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington DC, 20510
December 26, 2020
Dear Congressman Gonzalez, Senator Portman, & Senator Brown:
Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution says that [The Congress shall have the power] “to establish Post Offices and Post Roads”. Even more important two centuries since Benjamin Franklin was appointed our first Postmaster General in 1775, the United States Postal Service has grown and changed with America while providing a vital service to our entire nation could count on.
Fast forward to 2020, where the United States Postal Service is failing to full its’ most important constitutional role of delivering our mail. Americans and businesses are not getting delivered in a timely fashion their packages, mail, bills, and even Christmas gifts on time. Yes, we must consider that there is a global pandemic with COVID-19, work force shortages due to being out ill with COVID, and increase in e-commerce.
In my tenure on the North Royalton City Council. Since 2013 to about early this year I have assisted residents with various Postal Service delivery issues. A majority of those issues your offices were able to resolve or at least further investigate. However, things have continued to get worse.
The Post Service Officials from the Northern Ohio District when asked about these issues blame COVID-19. Which is not accurate at least here in Ohio. Cleveland.com in a recent story further supports this fact when it noted that the Northern Ohio district (which includes Cleveland and my community of North Royalton) was the third slowest Postal Service district in the entire country with 78.1% of two-day mail arriving on time. This is unacceptable.
As members of the United States Congress, you all have the ability to conduct review and oversight which includes the United States Postal Service. I strongly urge you all to investigate these issues here in Ohio and nationwide to address these issues. Before things get any worse. Furthermore, the current Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has completely failed to provide the leadership that is need during this pandemic and in general to lead such a constitutionally vital service for our country. He should strongly consider stepping aside for the good of the country.
I do not believe the United States Postal Service should be privatized based on its constitutional role and for national security purposes. However, I do believe Congress can working together as Republicans, Democrats, and Independents to address the issues with the United States Postal Service to make it better.
Please advise what steps you plan to take in 2021 to address these issues?
Sincerely,
Hon. Dan Langshaw
