Under new leadership at the US Postal Service, key stakeholders call for a halt to the contentious restructuring plan known as Delivering for America overhaul

The United States Postal Service (USPS) is currently under scrutiny as calls for change and financial reform grow louder. The most recent quarter under the Delivering for America plan saw a net loss of $3.3 billion, adding to the $9.5 billion loss in fiscal 2024.

The Delivering for America plan, initiated by former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, aimed to promote financial sustainability by slowing some delivery and generating savings. However, the changes have been criticized for causing widespread degradation of package delivery service performance, particularly affecting rural and remote communities.

The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) has been vocal in its opposition to the Delivering for America program, calling for a moratorium on delivery surcharges, a halt to new facility construction, and a suspension of product changes. The bipartisan USPS board of governors, which recently selected David Steiner as the next postmaster general, has not publicly endorsed these calls.

Jim Cochrane, CEO of the Package Shippers Association, testified that the USPS needs a "new vision" to improve its finances. Mike Plunkett, CEO of the Association for Postal Commerce, echoed this sentiment, calling for a moratorium on rate increases, a pause in spending on building new facilities, and a halt to any product changes while new leadership assesses what reforms to keep, modify, or unwind.

The changes under the Delivering for America plan included consolidating processing plants into 60 regional distribution centers. Stamp prices have also increased six times since DeJoy's tenure, with another increase to 78 cents scheduled for July.

The postmaster general position has been a subject of controversy, with DeJoy being pressed to resign due to conflicts with the Department of Government Efficiency, according to The Washington Post. The new leadership, under David Steiner, is currently being discussed in a House panel.

Criticism of the Delivering for America plan has been a bipartisan trend and continued Tuesday, with Kweisi Mfume, the top Democrat on the Government Operations Subcommittee, questioning the increased costs for the same or worse service. Paul Steidler and Thomas Schatz, conservative think tank leaders, also argued for a pause in the overhaul plan.

President Donald Trump has previously mused about privatizing USPS or folding it under the Commerce Department, but it remains to be seen whether these ideas will gain traction under the new leadership. As the USPS continues to navigate financial challenges and delivery concerns, the future of this essential service remains uncertain.