House debates postal changes, funds in rare Saturday session

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has opened a rare Saturday session to address mail delivery disruptions, launching debate on legislation that would reverse recent changes in U.S. Postal Service operations and send $25 billion in emergency funds to shore up the agency ahead of the November election.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the Postal Service will be “election central” as she recalled lawmakers to Washington in a highly unusual election year as millions of Americans are expected to opt for mail-in ballots to avoid polling places during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are here today because our democracy is being eroded by this administration,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., the chairman of the rules committee, opening debate.

He argued President Donald Trump is trying to halt mail-in ballots, afraid that so many Americans will vote he could lose the White House.

But Republicans countered that complaints about mail delivery disruptions are overblown, and no emergency funding is needed right now.

“Do we need that money? Absolutely no,” said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla. “It’s a silly, silly bill.”

The daylong Saturday session comes as an uproar over mail interference puts the Postal Service at the center of the nation’s tumultuous election year, with Americans rallying around one of the nation’s oldest and more popular institutions.

New Postmaster General Louis DeJoy testified Friday in the Senate that his “No. 1 priority” is to ensure election mail arrives on time.

But the new postal leader, a Trump ally, said he would not restore the cuts to mailboxes and sorting equipment that have already been made. He could not provide senators with a plan for handling the ballot crush for the election.

The Postal Service is “under attack,” said Rep. Carolyn...