Congresswoman Katie Porter represents the 45th Congressional District in Orange County, California.
In Washington, Congresswoman Porter has remained committed to putting Orange County families first. As a member of the House Oversight and Reform Committee and Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on Government Operations, she’s asked tough questions of bank CEOs and administration officials to hold them accountable to the American people. She’s also a proud member of the House Natural Resources Committee, where she works tirelessly to protect our beaches and public lands, elevate science-based solutions to the climate crisis, and keep Orange County families safe from wildfires. She chairs the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, where she leads efforts to hold polluters accountable.
Congresswoman Porter believes that the United States Postal Service (USPS) remains one of our country’s greatest civic treasures.
Article I, Section 8, Clause 7 of our Constitution empowers Congress “to establish Post Offices and Post Roads.” Our communities depend on the Postal Service to run small businesses, vote, and stay connected to their loved ones. Many Americans, especially our veterans and individuals with disabilities, rely on the Postal Service to deliver them life-saving medications and Social Security checks. Congresswoman Porter is committed to preserving a nonpartisan, fully operational Postal Service and fighting for our postal workers.
Congresswoman Porter was proud to cosponsor the Postal Service Reform Act, which Congress passed into law on March 8, 2022. The Postal Service Reform Act will save the Postal Service nearly $50 billion over the next decade by eliminating the requirement that USPS annually prepay future retirement health benefits and getting Postal Service retirees to enroll in Medicare. This law will also require the Postal Service to continue its six-day delivery service. These essential reforms will restore financial stability to the Postal Service, prevent it from going bankrupt in the next decade, and make it function better for all Americans.
She also cosponsored H.Res.33, which reaffirms that the Postal Service should remain an independent nonpartisan institution. She supports H.R. 8109, the Nonpartisan Postmaster General Act, which would prohibit members of the Postal Service Board of Governors, the Postmaster General, and the Deputy Postmaster General from holding any political position while in office and would restrict nominees for Postmaster General and Deputy Postmaster General to those who have not engaged in political activities in the four years prior to their appointment.
Additionally, she threw her support behind the Green Federal Fleet Act to prevent USPS from carrying out a plan to purchase new, predominantly gas-powered vehicles over 10 years. She backed the Postal Vehicle Modernization Act, which would require USPS to ensure that at least 75% of its next generation delivery vehicles are electric or zero-emission. Transitioning our postal fleet to greener vehicles will reduce carbon emissions, curb our reliance on fossil fuels, and save taxpayer dollars in the long run.
As an active member on the Committee on Oversight and Reform, Congresswoman Porter understands the importance of holding government officials accountable. Congresswoman Porter asked Postmaster General Louis DeJoy questions that revealed both his lack of understanding about the basic services of the Post Office and also his lack of interest in taking responsibility for changes made to the Postal Service under his watch.
Following the hearing, she sent a follow-up letter to DeJoy expressing serious concern over his holdings in XPO and his involvement as Postmaster General in the operational changes in USPS, as XPO is a USPS supply chain logistics contractor. The letter asked for clarity about his role in implementing any operational changes and his commitment to comply with any investigations into his conflict of interests.
Congresswoman Porter held a Facebook Live event with local veterans and their families to understand how the Trump Administration’s cuts to the Postal Service were disastrous. She has also toured a USPS facility and listened to Postal Service employees on how we can improve USPS for generations to come.