Washington – President Biden on Wednesday announced his three candidates to join the U.S. Postal Services Board of Governors, the first step for the council to oust controversial Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. There are currently three vacancies on the nine-member board and the six existing members were appointed by former President Donald Trump.
Mr. Biden has elected Anton Hajjar, a former general counsel to the American Union of Postal Workers; Amber McReynolds, voting rights activist and director general 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 council, which currently has four Republicans and two Democrats.
DeJoy appeared Wednesday in a hearing before the House Oversight and Reform Committee, where Democrats grilled him. slowdown of mail shipments during the summer, amid the coronavirus pandemic and an increase in postal voting ahead of the November elections. DeJoy told committee members that his future plans for the agency may include slowing down first-class mail delivery.
Democratic lawmakers have called for the board to expel DeJoy. In a contentious exchange with Democratic Rep. Jim Cooper on Wednesday, DeJoy noted that he was “selected by a bipartisan governing board” and said he will remain a 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 candidates would also diversify the council, as the current six council members are white and male. During Wednesday’s hearing, Democratic Congresswoman Cori Bush said the board “looks like a millionaire white boys club.” The current members are mostly businessmen, including three investment bankers. DeJoy, who was elected by the board in April 2020, was previously the director of a shipping company.
Congresswoman Alma Adams, who last week spearheaded a letter signed by 79 other Democrats asking Mr. Biden to fill existing vacancies in the board, said in a statement that she was “happy to answer our call to fill the vacancies.” .
“A truly non-partisan Board of Governors will be able to partner with Congress leaders on the reforms needed to maintain the long-term health of the USPS and identify immediate problems that can be resolved through decisive action,” he said. “President Biden’s candidates for the Board of Governors are passionate and qualified advocates who will better recover the USPS and I encourage the United States Senate to act quickly to confirm them.”