Cruz, Weber Pressure USPS on Mail Theft

Texas Republicans are on a mission to address theft of mail. Rep. Randy Weber (R) and Senator Ted Cruz (R) have joined forces to introduce the Upholding a Secure Postal System (USPS) Act.

Should the bill pass, it would require that the Comptroller General of the United States submit a report to Congress regarding nationwide trends on the theft of mail and postal property to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability and to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs. The report, which would be required each year for five years, would include measures that the postal service has taken to address theft.

Senator Cruz released a statement, praising the effort. Addressing it as an issue that has gone on for far too long without a proper response, Cruz said that “it is time we get to the root of the mail thefts plaguing Texas and the United States.”

Commenting on the report the bill would enforce, Cruz shared that it would “’leave the USPS no choice but to address the widespread theft of mail and create a plan to combat this problem,” adding that his effort with Rep. Weber builds “on the important work we have already done over the past year to prevent mail theft.”

Weber echoed in Cruz’s remarks, calling postal theft “a pernicious problem nationwide.”

For the Texas Republican, “criminals have seen the USPS as soft targets to steal from everyday Americans,” adding that “it is imperative that the American public can rely on this age-old institution to pay bills and receive medication and other critical daily items.”

With their bill, the lawmakers seek to enact oversight over the USPS, in an effort to pressure “the USPS to address concerns, especially in Texas’ Fourteenth district, and provide transparency” to Americans that rely on USPS.