Cleaver: I am pushing for funding of U. S. Postal Service in next coronavirus stimulus package

(From Fifth District Congressman Emanuel Cleaver)

As of this writing, the United States has over 770,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 nationally, with over 41,000 deaths.

In Missouri, we currently have over 5,650 cases, with over 600 cases confirmed in the Fifth Congressional District of Missouri. While the numbers in Missouri and Kansas City may appear relatively low for the time being, we aren’t out of the woods yet.

In order to ensure we don’t have a sudden spike in cases, Mayor Lucas has extended Kansas City’s stay-at-home order until May 15th. Considering our larger, urban cities are more vulnerable to a rapid spread of the virus, I wholeheartedly agree with the Mayor’s decision.

I understand that Kansas Citians—including me—are itching to get out of their homes and return to normalcy. However, we must follow the lead of our scientists and public health officials who are recommending this timeline. If we re-open the city too early, we risk overwhelming our health care system, endangering our citizens and health care professionals, and causing yet another shutdown that will only prolong the pain we’re feeling today.

We have to get this right, and I believe the Mayor did in this instance.

My Efforts

Last week, among many efforts my staff and I are pursuing for constituents in the Fifth District, I wanted to make you aware of two items in particular that I am pushing for in the next coronavirus relief package.

As you may be aware, the United States Postal Service (USPS) is facing severe economic hardship, and projections show it may go bankrupt as early as June without congressional intervention. Last week, I gathered support from over 120 members of the House of Representatives in calling for Congress to provide much-needed funding for the USPS.

The USPS employs over 650,000 hardworking Americans, provides seniors life-saving medications through the mail, and ensures individuals without access to internet can still communicate and send important documents around the country. To allow the USPS to close down in the middle of a global pandemic would be the height of irresponsibility, which is why I’m pushing for funding in the next coronavirus stimulus package.

I’ve also called for the Department of Treasury to provide diversity data within the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to ensure that minority-owned small businesses are receiving their fair share of the more than $350 billion in small business loans provided by Congress through the CARES Act.

Minority-owned small businesses accounted for half of the small businesses created in the last decade. They are a critical component of the American economy, and if we fail to provide them the same access to capital, it will undoubtedly prolong the strain on our national economy. That’s why I, along with over 80 lawmakers in Congress, have called on the Treasury to issue guidance reaffirming the PPP must comply with fair lending laws and safeguard against any potential discrimination of minority-owned small businesses.

As Congress continues to negotiate the next coronavirus stimulus proposal to provide small businesses the capital they need to survive, I will be sure to keep you informed of the policies I’m fighting for.