Washington, D.C. — Today, Rep. Robert Garcia, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Rep. Joe Morelle, Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration, joined by 68 other lawmakers, demanded answers from Postmaster General David Steiner on the U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) preparedness for the 2026 elections amid concerns that new transportation policies could delay the delivery of mail-in ballots, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach communities. USPS’ new Regional Transportation Optimization (RTO) initiative is set to reduce trips within certain zip codes, which may slow down mail delivery times.
In the letter to Postmaster General Steiner, the lawmakers wrote, “Voting by mail is unequivocally safe and secure. It is imperative that the Postal Service have successful performance during the 2026 election season, and that means ensuring that any new programs borne out of the Delivering for America plan or otherwise do not harm the
delivery of ballots. Independent oversight bodies have verified that RTO will not save the Postal Service the money it needs and many customers will be provided with worse service. We urge you to consider eliminating the RTO program until the Postal Service has quality controls and substantial savings projections in place, and adequate public awareness of the distinct impacts on mail delivery.”
The response deadline is February 13, 2026.
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