BURLINGTON, Vt., April 1 – Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL) today issued the following joint statement:

“After eight long months, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has finally signed a lease on a new home for Montpelier’s post office after the devastating floods displaced their downtown location last summer. This is an important step in the right direction and as a Delegation we welcome this news. We were proud to work with the people of Montpelier, advocates, and community and state leaders to ensure the return of a fully operational post office to our state’s capital and its community.

“While this lease is good news, the failure of USPS leadership to address this matter in a safe, timely, and transparent manner remains unacceptable and emblematic of a nationwide crisis made worse by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. It should not take the better part of a year, heroic grassroots efforts, and constant work by the Delegation and state leaders for Postmaster General DeJoy to do his job – especially after a catastrophic natural disaster.

“The USPS provides essential services that individuals, families, small businesses, and older Vermonters alike rely on every day. They need a functional USPS not only to mail letters and packages, but for the delivery of important documents like their Social Security checks, the delivery of lifesaving prescription drugs, and to pay their bills on time. This is especially true in rural areas. We strongly urge the Postmaster General and the USPS Board of Governors to focus on restoring the trust that both Vermonters and the American people have had for generations in the postal service, and immediately address any remaining lapses in service.

“In the meantime, we will continue the fight to restore reliable postal service for our communities and safe and fair working conditions for our postal workers, in Montpelier and across the state.”