Tipsheet

Dems Pass USPS Bill and Block Common Sense Legislation to Help Workers

Cortney O'Brien
Cortney O'Brien  |  August 23, 2020 12:45 PM

The Democrats were back in session on Saturday to vote on an "emergency" measure to "save the post office." The measure, which provides $25 billion to the U.S. Postal Service, passed by a vote of 257 to 150, including 26 Republican votes. The vote came on the heels of the Democrats' conspiracy theory that President Trump wants to hold the USPS hostage to improve his chances of winning his re-election in November. 

Whatever "threat" Trump posed to the Postal Service was upended by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) during a Senate hearing with Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.

Meanwhile, the GOP put forward a group of bills that had the potential to actually improve people's lives that included more funding for testing and vaccines, the Paycheck Protection Program, and police departments.

Here are a few examples:

The Protecting Americans' Health Act, introduced by Michael Burgess (R-TX), appropriates additional emergency resources to continue the rapid development, manufacturing, purchase, and distribution of vaccines, therapeutics, and new testing technologies to overcome COVID-19; additional funds for the strategic national stockpile and to shore up domestic manufacturing and supply chains; and additional funds for health care providers including Community Health Centers to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19.

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A PPP measure, presented by Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH), amends the Paycheck Protection Program to allow businesses still suffering economic hardship to receive a second PPP loan.

Finally, Rep. Pete Stauber (R-MN) put forward funding of police departments for the development of and training on the use of body cameras. It also reauthorizes critical law enforcement grant programs at the Department of Justice. 

But as predicted, the Democrats weren't interested.

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows was among those wondering why USPS funding is suddenly an issue for the Democrats, when he offered more funding a few weeks ago.

The president had the same question.