The chamber has no votes scheduled until mid-September, but Speaker Nancy Pelosi might bring lawmakers back sooner.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Democratic leaders are considering cutting short the August recess and bringing the chamber back into session to deal with the unfolding crisis at the U.S. Postal Service, according to Democratic sources.
The House could return to vote with the next two weeks, the Democratic sources suggested. The chamber is currently in recess, with no votes scheduled until the week of Sept. 14.
Pelosi and other top Democrats, including House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), discussed the possibility of returning early during an emergency leadership call Saturday afternoon.
Democrats are looking to address organizational issues at the Postal Service in the coming weeks, not to provide additional funding at this time, according to sources familiar with the discussion.
One option would be to vote on a modified version of a bill introduced by House Oversight Chair Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) earlier this week that would prohibit USPS from implementing a planned organizational overhaul that critics maintain would handicap mail-in voting.
Other top Democrats also floated addressing other issues, including expired federal unemployment benefits and voting rights. But Democratic sources said the immediate focus — at least for now — is preserving the Postal Service ahead of the election.
On Friday, Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) issued a scathing statement accusing President Donald Trump and Republicans of waging an “all-out assault on the Postal Service and its role in ensuring the integrity of the 2020 election.” Their statement came after Trump said he opposes a federal infusion of funds to save the flailing postal service because he doesn’t support mail-in voting.
“The President made plain that he will manipulate the operations of the Post Office to deny eligible voters the ballot in pursuit of his own re-election,” Pelosi and Schumer said. “The President’s own words confirm: he needs to cheat to win.”
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Pelosi and House Democratic leaders are considering cutting the August recess short and bringing the chamber back into session to deal with the unfolding crisis at the Postal Service https://t.co/NBtjXmozBq
— POLITICO (@politico) August 16, 2020
She should https://t.co/8tQoUGV6U6
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) August 16, 2020
And signed by Carolyn Maloney, which will make Trump's day https://t.co/DTQx6zvtPb
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 16, 2020
A growing chorus of House Democrats, including some of the most moderate members, is calling for an emergency return to DC to hold oversight hearings into Trump’s war on the Postal Service. Notably, Cooper (D-Tenn.) even floats locking up billionaire GOP donor Louis DeJoy: https://t.co/fwoWZxw5vw
— James Hohmann (@jameshohmann) August 16, 2020
This should be a no-brainer. The Post Master General needs to be removed. And if that can’t be done a Congressional committee should be breathing down his neck on a daily basis. The postal boxes that have been removed should be put back. The machines that have been removed put back and an working plan to handle all of the ballots and mail put in place with overtime reinstated and additional employees hired if necessary. Funding provided. There are no excuses why this cannot be done. If the GOP refuses to co-operate their intentions are obvious. The dems need to be wherever there is a microphone stating so.
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