WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), Ranking Member of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Government Operations, and Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) led a letter to Postmaster General David Steiner seeking answers about whether the United States Postal Service (USPS) has faced pressure from the Trump Administration to restrict or interfere with mail-in ballot delivery ahead of the 2026 elections, as well as USPS’s June 2, 2026 publication of a proposed rule (91 FR 32915) that would impose new federal requirements on mail-in voting.
"More than 48 million Americans voted by mail in the 2024 General Election, and the millions who will do so again in November deserve assurance that their ballot will be delivered without political interference," said Congressman Kweisi Mfume. "This proposed rule would turn the Postal Service into a political weapon against voters, requiring states to submit voter lists to a federal portal and empowering USPS to reject ballots outright. We are calling on Postmaster General Steiner to answer for this rule, and as Ranking Member of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Government Operations, I will continue to fight for the right of every eligible American to cast their vote free from federal interference."
“Free, fair, and secure elections are the foundation of our democracy,” said Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. “The United States Postal Service must remain an independent and reliable institution that delivers election mail securely and on time, free from political interference. Americans deserve confidence that no administration will manipulate access to the ballot box or undermine lawful voting.”
In the letter, they raised concerns about President Trump’s repeated attacks on mail-in voting, recent Department of Justice efforts targeting election materials, and executive actions that could involve USPS in limiting ballot delivery or imposing new requirements affecting absentee and mail ballots.
In the letter, they requested responses to a series of questions regarding USPS’s communications with the Trump Administration and any efforts to involve the Postal Service in election administration, including:
- The June 2, 2026 proposed rule cites 39 U.S.C. 401 and 404 as the statutory basis for conditioning the acceptance of mail-in ballots on compliance with a federally administered voter list. Please provide any legal analyses or memoranda upon which USPS relied in reaching that conclusion, and identify any additional statutory authority upon which USPS relies.
- Please describe the full scope of internal preparations USPS is taking to implement the rule, if finalized, including the timeline for standing up the Federal Ballot Mail Portal and whether USPS has assessed the operational feasibility of meeting these requirements before the November 3, 2026 general election.
- Beyond the interagency review process referenced in the proposed rule, what communications have taken place between the White House, the Department of Justice, and USPS regarding the development and implementation of the proposed rule and any related directives concerning mail-in or absentee ballots, including dates, participants, and substance?
- What steps is USPS taking to ensure that all eligible voters who have requested a mail-in or absentee ballot under state law will receive one in the 2026 election cycle, including voters whose names are not included on a State-Specific Mail-In and Absentee Participation List at the time of ballot mailing?
- Have there been any operational changes, resource reallocations, or policy modifications affecting election mail delivery since January 2025? If so, please describe the changes and their expected impact on 2026 election mail.
The lawmakers requested responses no later than June 23, 2026, along with all responsive documents and communications.
The letter was also signed by Reps. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-AL), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA-08), Dan Goldman (D-NY-10), Danny K. Davis (D-IL-07), Jonathan L. Jackson (D-IL-01), Angie Craig (D-MN-02), Adam Smith (D-WA-09), Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01), Jill Tokuda (D-HI-02), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), Johnny Olszewski, Jr. (D-MD-02), Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA-02), Emily Randall (D-WA-06), Suzan K. DelBene (D-WA-01), Dwight Evans (D-PA-03), Val Hoyle (D-OR-04), Joe Courtney (D-CT-02), Seth Moulton (D-MA-06), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10), April McClain Delaney (D-MD-06), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-05), James R. Walkinshaw (D-VA-11), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09), Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04), Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17), André Carson (D-IN-07), and Wesley Bell (D-MO-01).
Text of the letter can be viewed here.
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