June 28, 2021

The three new USPS governors appointed by President Biden were sworn in and attended their first closed meeting the week before last.  On June 15, White House Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice swore in Anton Hajjar, Amber McReynolds, and Ron Stroman at the Old Executive office Building in Washington, DC.  As of this writing, the new Governors are not yet listed on the USPS Board of Governors web page.

Many members have been interested in what impact the new Governors will have on the Postal Service.  They bring the Governors, who hire and fire Postmasters General and approve rates, to a majority five Democrats (although Amber McReynolds is officially independent) and four Republicans.

The impact likely will be more incremental than immediate.  The six Governors who selected Louis DeJoy remain firmly behind him and his plan.  The Democratic postal unions are largely supportive of the plan because it does not threaten their jobs, pay, or benefits.

One area that might involve some tough discussion is the ultimate approval of the slowdown of First-Class Mail; the new Governors have voiced concerns about the service slowdown and might not want to approve it.  The regulator will be issuing an advisory opinion that USPS can choose to ignore.  But again, the majority of Governors will rule.