June 18, 2020

On his first official day in office, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy released an impressive video message to postal employees.  The headline quote in the internal News Link is “Trajectory for success.”

After praising postal employees and outlining the difficulties faced by the USPS, DeJoy explained why he took the job that many portray as impossible: “I did not accept this position in spite of these challenges, I accepted this position because of them — and because I want to work with you in addressing them. I want to put this institution on a trajectory for success.”

DeJoy concluded the employee video with this vision: “We stand on the shoulders and of the men and women who built this institution, who grew it and who maintained it,” he said. “And we pledge to them — and I pledge to you — that we will continue to make the United States Postal Service a great institution worthy of its standing.”

Mailers will be watching and listening closely to the early actions and statements by DeJoy, as he described himself as both direct and decisive.  In particular, we will be interested to see whether there are changes to the message carried by the previous three Postmasters General for the past decade.  Their talking points expressed a reliance on help from Congress to change the law governing USPS, and on the Postal Regulatory Commission to abolish the inflation price cap on monopoly mail services.  We hope for a more empowered, can-do approach.

DeJoy took the oath of office in a small ceremony attended in person by two of the USPS Governors, and virtually by the other two.

One hopes they all remain healthy and the two additional Governor nominees, whose uneventful Senate hearing was held June 3, are quickly confirmed.  A quorum of six is necessary for the Board of Governors to make important decisions; they now have five.  Appointment of a new Deputy Postmaster General by DeJoy and the Governors will bring the quorum to six.  (The Governors hire and fire the PMG and set rates with no required quorum.)