Biden announces 3 nominees to U.S. Postal Service board
Washington — President Biden announced his three nominees to join the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors on Wednesday, the first step for the board to potentially oust controversial Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. There are currently three vacancies on the nine-member board, and the six existing members were all appointed by former President Donald Trump.
Mr. Biden has chosen Anton Hajjar, the former general counsel of the American Postal Workers Union; Amber McReynolds, a voting rights activist and the CEO of the National Vote at Home Institute; and Ron Stroman, who recently retired as deputy postmaster general. If confirmed by the Senate, Democrats would have a majority on the board, which currently has four Republicans and two Democrats.
DeJoy appeared at a hearing before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Wednesday, where Democrats grilled him on the slowdown in mail deliveries over the summer, amid the coronavirus pandemic and an uptick in voting by mail ahead of the November election. DeJoy told members of the committee that his future plans for the agency may include slowing the delivery of first-class mail.
Democratic lawmakers have called for the board to oust DeJoy. In a contentious exchange with Democratic Congressman Jim Cooper on Wednesday, DeJoy noted that he was "selected by a bipartisan board of governors" and said that he would remain postmaster general for "a long time."
"Get used to me," DeJoy said. However, if Mr. Biden's nominees are confirmed, the Democratic majority will have the votes to remove DeJoy.
Mr. Biden's nominees would also diversify the board, as all six current members of the board are white and male. During the hearing on Wednesday, Democratic Congresswoman Cori Bush said that the board "looks like a millionaire white boys' club." The current members are primarily businessmen, including three investment bankers. DeJoy, who was chosen by the board in April 2020, was previously the executive of a shipping firm.
Congresswoman Alma Adams, who last week spearheaded a letter signed by 79 other Democrats calling on Mr. Biden to fill the existing vacancies on the board, said in a statement that she was "overjoyed he answered our call to fill the vacancies."
"A truly nonpartisan Board of Governors will be able to partner with Congressional leaders on necessary reforms to maintain the long-term health of USPS, and identify immediate issues to be resolved by decisive action," she said. "President Biden's nominees to the Board of Governors are passionate, qualified advocates who will build USPS back better, and I encourage the United States Senate to act swiftly to confirm them."
