State leaders continue to voice their opposition to recent operational changes by the United States Postal Service and plan to gather for an event on Thursday in New Haven.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Attorney General William Tong are expected to join postal worker union leaders and local residents to express support for the workers of the postal service, according to an announcement from the congresswoman's office.
The group said it will call for investments and protections for the Postal Service and its workers.
On Tuesday, Tong announced Connecticut would join other states in a lawsuit against the Trump Administration over Postal Service delivery delays and service changes. Concerns have mounted in recent weeks among state and federal lawmakers that the new policies could impact the delivery of ballots for the November election.
"I want to see that in writing in a binding judicial decree before a court," Tong said. "I want to see those machines back. I want to see those mailboxes back. I want to see them undo the damage that they have done. That's number one. Number two is the promise not to do further damage. Right? And number three is to show us that they're going to put the resources in by supporting Congresswoman DeLauro's bill to make sure that they can ramp up and have the people power to carry us through this election and make sure that mail and those ballots are delivered on time. Anything short of that, we're not stopping. This lawsuit continues and we're going to hold them accountable."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told her he has no intention of restoring removed blue mailboxes or sorting equipment and no plans for employee overtime. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said officials are withholding information about DeJoy's selection to the job. With the agency in turmoil, civil and voting rights advocates are suing to bring mail operations back to normal.
Pelosi, D-Calif., said she told DeJoy in a phone call that his decision for a temporary pause was "wholly insufficient and does not reverse damage already wreaked.”
DeLauro called for DeJoy to be removed in comments on Thursday.
"We need to fight for an essential component of our Democracy and of people's lives, and I will, my friends, through rain or shine or sleet or Donald Trump" DeLaura said.
