Rep. Cuellar Leads Colleagues in Letter Supporting South Texas Letter Carriers
Written by admin, Jun 20, 2023, 0 Comments
Courtesy Jose Sanz,
The bipartisan letter urges USPS to prioritize delivery of new mail trucks to South Texas
Washington, DC – U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) led a bipartisan letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy urging him to prioritize deliveries of Next Generation Delivery Vehicles to letter carriers in South Texas. These new, air-conditioned vehicles are expected to become available in October 2023, replacing the Postal Service’s existing fleet of vehicles that entered service in 1987 and lack air conditioning.
Given the extreme heat that South Texas communities regularly experience, the letter calls on Postmaster DeJoy to ensure that they are among the first in the nation to receive new, air-conditioned vehicles. This past summer was one of the hottest on record in South Texas. San Antonio, Texas, saw 58 100-degree days in 2022, while Laredo, Texas, had 89. A recent study conducted by Texas A&M University predicts that the average number of 100-degree days in the region will double by 2036.
“America’s postal employees work day and night, rain or shine to deliver for our country,” said Congressman Cuellar. “They ensure our seniors get their social security checks on time. They deliver life-saving medication to Americans living with chronic illnesses. And they ensure that everyone, even those living in the most rural areas, can receive mail. It’s essential that South Texas letter carriers, who work in one of the hottest climates in the country, should be at the very top of the list to receive new delivery vehicles.”
“Letter Carriers — indeed, all workers who work outside in Texas — need protection from the summer heat,” said Rick Levy, President of the Texas AFL-CIO. “The working people who deliver the mail should not be on their own as they honor the unofficial Postal Service motto: ‘Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.’ We very much support this call for USPS to assign the next generation of air-conditioned delivery vehicles to South Texas and appreciate the efforts of those who support it.”
“I would like to thank Congressman Cuellar for his work on behalf of South Texas letter carriers,” said Homer Hernandez, Legislative Chair of the National Association of Letter Carriers Alamo Branch 421. “We work in one of the hottest climates in the country, and the high temperatures take a toll on all of us. Congressman Cuellar has always been an advocate for us, and we appreciate his efforts on this issue.”
“On behalf of all South Texas rural carriers, we thank Congressman Cuellar for listening to our concerns and advocating for us,” said William Palomo, President of the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association Local 82. “South Texas is known for having extremely high temperatures in the summer. We would be grateful to receive the new USPS vehicles, which would help letter carriers perform better while reducing health concerns that come with extreme heat exposure.”
Joining Congressman Cuellar on the letter were Representatives Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20), Greg Casar (D-TX-35), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX-34), Tony Gonzales (R-TX-23), and Monica De La Cruz (R-TX-15).
To read a copy of the letter, please click here.
Congressman Cuellar is a staunch supporter of South Texas letter carriers. In 2022, Congressman Cuellar voted for the Postal Service Reform Act. Now signed into law, it will create $49 billion in savings for the Postal Service over the next ten years while maintaining six-day delivery standards. He is also a co-sponsor of the Federal Retirement Fairness Act, which would allow USPS employees to make catch-up retirement contributions for time spent as non-career employees.
