Lawmakers want postal service to address safety and security risks

(The Center Square) – A group of bipartisan members of the U.S. House of Representatives is urging the Postal Board of Governors to address security risks that could negatively impact mail and mail facilities.

Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., is leading a group of lawmakers to bring attention to the “severe” security deficiencies in mail operations that could threaten the safety of postal workers and members of the public at risk.

The lawmakers are urging the board to “take action” to address the issues while requesting information to “ensure effective oversight of their progress.”

The group says the board sets the postal service's strategic direction and is ultimately responsible for holding leadership accountable.

“The Board of Governors is responsible for overseeing the operations of the USPS, setting the strategic direction of the USPS, approving important and significant USPS policies, and holding USPS leadership accountable to upholding the mission of one of our nation’s most prized assets,” the members wrote .

The lawmakers cite reports from the postal service’s Office of Inspector General, saying the reports include “serious lapses” and “oversight” in operations.

“As such, we bring to your attention for immediate action a series of recent reports by the USPS Office of Inspector General (OIG), which have identified serious lapses in existing postal operations and a glaring lack of oversight by the USPS over its own facilities and contracted suppliers and services,” the members wrote.

The congressmen say they can group their concerns into three categories: “access to postal facilities, contract trucking safety, and repeated violations of federal wage laws under the purview of USPS contracts.”

The lawmakers are requesting the board address several questions, specifically the record of every driver and carrier, including subcontracted carriers; the number of drivers USPS has permitted to access its facilities without a “postal-issued ID” security badge; and the number of drivers who would have qualified for a badge following the completion of “nonsensitive security clearance” and driving record review.

In addition, the group wants to know if the postal service “uniformly records” driver’s licenses or information contained for individuals accessing postal facilities without obtaining a badge, specifics on how the data is stored, and if analysis of the data has been performed to determine if drivers would qualify for a security badge.

The congressmen also request information on whether the postal service maintains a “do-not-use carrier or driver list” and whether it shares the list with transportation contractors “to ensure that unsafe subcontractors are not utilized.”

The lawmakers are also seeking answers concerning the driving records of postal service drivers (including contractors and subcontractors). The group requests information on traffic fatalities involving their drivers, the use of its freight auction board, the postal service’s “intention to abandon” postal-issued security badge processes for contractors operating on the freight auction board, and labor requirements.

Lastly, the group is asking if the postal service tracks criminal activity involving transportation contractors and subcontractors, including trailer and mail theft or loading commercial freight in sealed trailers used for carrying mail.