SUFFIELD, Conn. — Family members of a veteran are finally reunited with their departed loved one after his ashes were lost in the mail for nearly two weeks.
Senator Richard Blumenthal will be joined by the sister of Scott Egan who served in the U.S. Army Medical Corp from 1973 to 1988 as he demands answers from U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.
Sen. Blumenthal said following Scott's cremation, his sister Dr. Jean Egan, had mailed his ashes to be interned in Maryland. After the remains did not arrive on time, the Egans contacted Sen. Blumenthal and Senator Chris Murphy's offices for help in finding the lost remains.
According to Sen. Blumenthal, after several calls to the USPS, Egan's remains were found and hand-delivered to his family.
The outcry over mail delays and warnings of political interference has put the Postal Service at the center of the nation's tumultuous election year, with Americans rallying around one of the nation's oldest and more popular institutions.
With mounting pressure, DeJoy abruptly reversed course this week, vowing to postpone any further changes until after the election, saying he wanted to avoid even the “perception” of any interference. Blue mailboxes were being been removed, back-of-shop sorting equipment shutdown and overtime hours kept in check.
DeJoy testified Friday that the postal service needed "operational discipline" in defense of lawmakers' criticism of the recent changes. Democrats warn DeJoy's cost-cutting initiatives since arriving in his position in June are causing an upheaval that threatens the election. Trump raised the stakes by saying he wants to block agency funds to make it harder for the Postal Service to handle the expected surge of mail-in ballots during the COVID-19 crisis.
The changes also negatively affect people outside of the election. People have complained of a slower USPS when it comes to medication delivery and other vital necessities. New Hampshire Senator Maggie Hassan (D) said during the testimony that the USPS for some people is their lifeline.
