Senator Hawley Proposes Bill to Block Bonuses for USPS Executives Amid Delivery Issues

Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, is proposing legislation that would prevent bonuses for U.S. Postal Service (USPS) executives due to ongoing financial losses and poor delivery performance. The proposed legislation, titled the No Bonuses for Bad Service Act, would stop the USPS Board of Governors from approving additional compensation for the postmaster general and deputy postmaster general if the agency fails to achieve an on-time delivery rate of 95% for all mail products in a fiscal year. Hawley stated that over the past decade, postmasters general have received over $2 million in bonuses despite declining delivery performance. He cited the agency's $25 billion in losses over the past three fiscal years and noted that residents in rural Missouri often experience significant delays in mail delivery. Hawley has previously confronted current Postmaster General David Steiner regarding these bonuses, expressing concern for postal workers who are underpaid compared to executive compensation. The USPS has been under scrutiny for its service record, and Hawley is also investigating the agency's use of outside restructuring consultants.