Biden replaces DeJoy allies on Postal Service board
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Ron Bloom. Photo: Peter Foley/Bloomberg via Getty Images
President Biden on Friday announced his nominees to replace two members — and allies of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy — of the USPS board of governors.
Why it matters: Biden is replacing Ron Bloom, a Democrat, and John Barger, a Republican, with Daniel Tangherlini and Derek Kan. If confirmed by the Senate, Tangherlini's appointment could give liberals the necessary votes to remove DeJoy as chief, who can only be removed via by the governing board, per the Washington Post.
- While a Democrat, Bloom was a supporter of DeJoy's policies to slow down mail delivery and raise prices, the Post notes.
Context: The governing board consists of nine members, "and no more than five governors may be from the same party," per the White House.
- At the moment, the board is comprised of four Democrats, four Republicans and one independent.
Background: Tangherlini served as the head of the General Services Administration during the Obama administration, and he will replace Bloom. Kan, a Republican and Barger's replacement, served as deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget and under secretary at the Department of Transportation.
What they're saying: "The Postal Service congratulates Derek Kan and Daniel Tangherlini on their nominations by the President to serve as Governors on the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service. We wish them well as they proceed through the United States Senate confirmation process," USPS said in a statement to Axios.
- "We thank Chairman Ron Bloom and Governor John Barger for their steady leadership and dedicated service to the Postal Service and the American people. We are grateful for their contributions to the development of the Postal Service’s Delivering for America 10-year plan to achieve financial sustainability and service excellence, and look forward to continuing to work with them as they serve out their terms."
The big picture: Earlier this month, the USPS reported a net loss of $4.9 billion for the 2021 budget year, which was nearly half the agency's net loss in 2020, recorded at $9.2 billion.
- The USPS generated operating revenue of $77 billion in 2021, up to $3.9 billion or 5.3% from 2020.
