Postal Battle Hits the House Floor

Playbook: “The battle over the Postal Service is going to hit the House floor this afternoon. Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called the chamber back in a rare move during the August recess to force a vote on a bill that would provide $25 billion to the postal service and prohibit any operational changes ahead of the November election.”

“The vote comes as USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s testimony Friday before the Senate Homeland Security Committee did little to mollify Democrats concerned about everything from mail-in voting to delayed prescription drugs to newly hatched chicks dying in transit. Dejoy is expected to face more intense scrutiny Monday when he testifies before the Democrat-led House Oversight Committee.”

“Republicans have been whipping against the House vote. GOP Rep. John Katko, who is in a tight reelection battle in upstate New York, put out a statement that he would support the Democrats’ bill. Other GOP lawmakers who represent rural districts, or who are in tight reelection races, could also join Democrats in supporting the bill. It will be a largely party-line vote, but GOP leaders expect low double-digit defections.”