Gary Peters

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Gary Peters, D-MI, Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released the following statement on a proposed rule by the United States Postal Service (USPS) to implement President Donald Trump’s executive order from March and create unprecedented restrictions to vote by mail. Last month, Peters led 36 of his colleagues in a letter urging the Postal Service to uphold existing federal law in the face of the President’s order.

“The Postal Service has one mission – to deliver the mail no matter who sends it or where it’s going. President Trump’s effort to hijack that mission for his own political gain is an unconstitutional abuse of power and a direct threat to Americans’ fundamental right to vote.

“Vote by mail is a key part of our federal elections, offering millions of Americans – including President Trump – a secure way to participate in our democracy. If the President gets his way, states would be forced to hand over sensitive voter information to the federal government, and the Postal Service would be empowered to refuse to deliver completed ballots that allegedly don’t meet the administration’s new standards.

“If this proposed rule is implemented, it risks disenfranchising American voters across the country.

“Our Constitution placed the role of administering elections with the states to prevent a powerful leader like a president from being able to manipulate the outcome. I will continue pushing back on this illegal power grab to ensure that our elections remain free and fair and reflect the will of the people.”