Washington – President Biden announced his three nominees to join the US Postal Service Board of Governors on Wednesday, the first step for the board to dismiss the controversial Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. There are currently three seats on the nine-member board, and the six existing members were all appointed by former President Donald Trump.
Mr. Biden chose Anton Hajjar, the former general counsel for the American Postal Workers Union; Amber McReynolds, voting rights activist and CEO of the National Vote at Home Institute; and Ron Stroman, who recently retired as deputy general postmaster. If confirmed by the Senate, Democrats would have a majority in the council, which currently has four Republicans and two Democrats.
DeJoy appeared at a hearing before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Wednesday, where Democrats interrogated him about the slow delivery of mail during the summer, amid the coronavirus pandemic and an increase in postal voting before the November election. DeJoy told committee members that his future plans for the agency may include delaying delivery of first-class mail.
Democratic lawmakers asked the council to fire DeJoy. In a contentious discussion with Democratic Congressman Jim Cooper on Wednesday, DeJoy noted that he was “selected by a board of bipartisan governors” and said he would remain a general postmaster for “a long time”.
“Get used to me,” said DeJoy. However, if Biden’s nominees are confirmed, the Democratic majority will have the votes to remove DeJoy.
Biden’s nominees would also diversify the board, as all six current board members are white and male. During the hearing on Wednesday, Democratic Congresswoman Cori Bush said the council “looks like a millionaire club for white boys”. Current members are mainly entrepreneurs, including three investment bankers. DeJoy, who was chosen by the board in April 2020, was previously the executive of a shipping company.
Congresswoman Alma Adams, who last week spearheaded a letter signed by 79 other Democrats asking Biden to fill vacancies on the board, said in a statement that she was “very happy that he responded to our call to fill vacancies”.
“A truly non-partisan Board of Governors will be able to partner with Congressional leaders in the reforms needed to maintain the long-term health of the USPS and identify immediate issues to be resolved by decisive action,” she said. “President Biden’s nominees to the Board of Governors are passionate and qualified advocates who will rebuild the USPS better, and I encourage the United States Senate to act quickly to confirm them.”