Postal Service’s Election Role Becomes Flashpoint in Stimulus Talks
- Democrats seek aid to ensure legitimate ballots can be counted
- Republicans discount concerns, say existing aid is sufficient
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House Democrats want to throw a financial lifeline to the struggling U.S. Postal Service amid concerns that mail delays could lead to hundreds of thousands of legitimate votes being thrown out, potentially skewing the election. Senate Republicans say the money isn’t needed.
Stimulus legislation the House passed in May includes a $25 billion grant for the Postal Service, which has seen a downturn in bulk mail during the Covid-19 pandemic. The smaller aid proposal floated by Senate Republicans has no new USPS funding, with GOP lawmakers saying an earlier loan program is sufficient.