MONTPELIER, Vt., Nov. 21 – Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL) today issued the following statement:

“The U.S. Postal Service’s failure to secure safe and stable postal service facilities in Vermont’s capital city following the catastrophic flooding that displaced their offices on State Street, along with an unwillingness to communicate with the local Montpelier community or their own employees, is a complete and total abdication of their responsibilities and emblematic of the nationwide crisis and total failure of leadership of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. 

“The U.S. Postal Service provides essential services that individuals, families, small businesses, and older Vermonters alike rely on every day – not only for packages and letters, but for Social Security checks, deliveries of lifesaving prescription drugs, and the ability to pay their bills on time. The residents of Montpelier need and deserve restored service in their community, and we expect regional and national USPS management to work with our federal and state leaders – and with the community – to chart a speedy, robust return to the state capital.

“Anything less is unacceptable.”

On October 31, 2023, the Vermont Delegation sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy about the unacceptable response by USPS to worker safety concerns and service disruptions at the Montpelier post office. Read the letter here. To date, the USPS has failed to respond to the delegation in writing or provide satisfactory information in a timely fashion to local USPS employees.