By Blake Haas
BLOOMINGTON – One Central Illinois congressman says Congress should focus on a new stimulus package instead of the postal service calling the lack of a vote a “tragedy.”
U.S. House lawmakers could vote on a $25 billion emergency funding bill for the postal service this weekend. U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Taylorville) said the blame for not voting on a stimulus lies on the shoulders of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
“Speaker Pelosi has manufactured this postal crisis that doesn’t exist. We’re going to fly out on a Saturday morning and fly back Saturday afternoon, and she’s going to call that a workweek. That is not what Congress should be doing. We should be in Washington, D.C., right now talking about how we fund our schools, how we help our local and state governments. How we make sure, we fill the holes that still exist.”
Earlier this month, postal workers warned new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy implemented cuts to overtime and limited post office hours. Postal workers are worried that could cause a delay in the vote by mail process this November.
“No Republican or Democrat thought we would be in this pandemic still. We’ve got to make changes to those programs, but she’s only going out there for a vote on the postal service, which I support more funding for. I’m on record, actually supporting an increased investment from the general fund because of COVID. But, this is not the way to do it, and it’s very frustrating.”
Earlier this month, President Trump signed four Executive orders to provide an extra $300 per week in supplemental unemployment benefits. President Trump said he would like to send a second round of $1,200 stimulus checks to Americans.
Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].
