WASHINGTON (Azat TV) — In a direct legislative challenge to the leadership of the United States Postal Service (USPS), U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Ct.) have introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at halting executive bonuses until mail delivery standards are met. The legislation, titled the “No Bonuses for Bad Service Act,” seeks to establish a statutory link between executive compensation and actual service performance at a time when the postal service faces severe financial distress and widespread delivery delays.
The bill’s introduction follows an extensive investigation launched by Senator Hawley into the systemic failure of the USPS to deliver mail on time, particularly in Missouri. According to Hawley, a recent consultation with the federal watchdog overseeing the postal service revealed that Missouri ranks as the worst state in the nation for postal delivery performance.
Bipartisan Push for Postal Accountability
The “No Bonuses for Bad Service Act” targets the top tier of USPS leadership, specifically prohibiting the USPS Board of Governors from approving any additional or bonus compensation for the Postmaster General and the Deputy Postmaster General. Under the proposed framework, these executives would be barred from receiving bonuses for any fiscal year in which the agency fails to meet or exceed an on-time delivery rate of 95% for all market-dominant mail products.
Additionally, the bill mandates that the USPS submit its annual delivery rate report directly to the Postal Regulatory Commission, ensuring a transparent, independent audit of delivery performance. Senators Hawley and Blumenthal argue that the current system rewards institutional failure, as leadership continues to pocket substantial financial incentives while everyday Americans experience unprecedented delays in receiving essential mail, including paychecks and medical bills.
Financial Crisis and Declining Standards
The legislative push comes amid a period of prolonged financial instability for the USPS. Over the last three fiscal years, the agency has posted staggering financial losses totaling $25 billion. This deficit is more than $6 billion worse than the USPS’s own internal financial projections. Despite these mounting losses, the postal service has repeatedly implemented postage rate increases on American households and businesses, while simultaneously failing to meet its self-imposed service standards.
The delivery delays have had severe real-world consequences, particularly in rural communities where residents frequently report waiting weeks for mail delivery. The crisis was highlighted recently in Missouri, where a massive pile of undelivered mail was discovered abandoned in a vacant lot. The USPS has yet to provide a public explanation for the incident, which has further fueled congressional scrutiny.
Executive Compensation Under Fire
Congressional frustration is heavily focused on the disconnect between executive pay and organizational performance. Over the past decade, Postmasters General have received more than $2 million in additional bonus compensation, even as mail delivery metrics consistently declined.
During the final three years of former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s tenure, the Board of Governors approved more than $567,000 in bonus compensation. The current Postmaster General, David Steiner, who assumed office in mid-2025, has already received a $170,000 bonus within his first year. During a recent Senate committee hearing, Senator Hawley directly confronted Steiner over his compensation. Steiner reportedly refused to commit to voluntarily forgoing future bonuses until mail delivery times improve, prompting the introduction of this legislation.
Legislative Path and Structural Impact
By introducing the bill, Senators Hawley and Blumenthal hope to force a structural shift in how the USPS is governed. By codifying a strict 95% on-time delivery threshold as a prerequisite for executive bonuses, the bill aims to realign the incentives of the Board of Governors and top executives with the public service mission of the agency.
With bipartisan support already established in the Senate, sponsors are pushing for a prompt committee review and floor vote. However, the bill is expected to face resistance from defenders of the current corporate-style management structure of the USPS, who argue that competitive executive compensation is necessary to attract leadership capable of managing the agency’s complex, nationwide logistics network.