Two state lawmakers proposed absentee ballot boxes to help U.S. Postal Service

Two state lawmakers proposed absentee ballot boxes to help U.S. Postal Service

GOOD EVENING ONCEAGAIN,I'M KEITH RADFORD.THE U-S POSTALSERVICE AND MAIL INBALLOTS ARE AT THECENTER OF A MAJORPOLITICALCONTROVERSY RIGHTNOWAND AS THE POSTALSERVICE FACESMAJOR FINANCIALTROUBLE AND CUTS -IT'S WARNING THATMAIL IN ABSENTEEBALLOTS FOR THISNOVEMBER'SELECTION MIGHT NOTBE DELIVERED ONTIME.7 EYEWITNESS NEWSSENIOR REPORTEREILEEN BUCKLEY SAYSTWO STATELAWMAKERS ARE NOWOFFERING APOTENTIALSOLUTION...SEAN RYAN "WE MUSTSTEP FORWARD TOMAKE SURE THAT IFYOU MAIL YOURBALLOT IN ..THAT'SGOING TO BECOUNTED."STATE ASSEMBLYMEMBERS SEAN RYANAND MONICA WALLACEARE CO-SPONSORINGLEGISLATION TOAUTHORIZE EVERYCOUNTY BOARD OFELECTION TO SET UPDROP BOXES IN THESTATE...WALLACE SAYS THEIRBILL IS A COMMONSENSE SOLUTION TOMAKE SURE A VOTERSABSENTEE BALLOT ISCOUNTED...MONICA WALLACE.

"THEUNITED STATES POSTALSERVICE IS UNDERATTACK .WE HAVE ANADMINISTRATION WHOIS TREATING TODEFUND THE POSTOFFICE TO SERVETHEIR POLITICALAGENDA."THE POST OFFICE --WHICH LOST 8-POINT-8-BILLION DOLLARS INTHE LAST FISCLA YEAR -- IS ALREADYWARNING IT WON'T BEABLE TO GUARANTEEALL BALLOTS WOULDARRIVE IN TIME TO BECOUNTED BECAUSEFUNDING CUTS HAVECREATED DELAYS INMAIL DELIVERY....SEAN RYAN: ANDTHERE'S NOTHINGMOREDISENFRANCHISING INOUR DEMOCRACY THENSOME HOW HAVING ALOOP WHOLE SET UP-SO YOUR VOTEDOESN'T COUNT THAT'SNOT THE AMERICANWAY."U.S. SENATORKIRSTEN GILLIBRANDIS ALSO DECRYINGTHE FUNDING CUTS.SENATOR GILLIBRAND."THE THINGS THATPRESIDENT TRUMPSAYS HE'S DOINGAREN'T MAKING THEPOSTAL SERVICEBETTER -- IT'S MAKINGIT WORSE."I ASKED THE NEWYORK SENATOR IF SHETHINKS THE ABSENTEEBALLOT BOXES COULDBE A SOLUTION..."DO YOU SEESOMETHING LIKE THATAS A POSSIBLE OPTIONACROSS THE COUNTRYTO HELP?

I HAVEN'TREAD YET ABOUT THATIDEA, BUT IT SOUNDSLIKE SOMETHING WESHOULD LOOK AT FORSURE."THE POST MASTERGENERAL HAS AGREEDTO TESTIFY BEFORETHE HOUSEOVERSIGHTCOMMITTEE NEXTWEEK.GILLIBRAND IS ALSOCALLING ON THE U.S.SENATE TO RETURNTO SESSION.SHE WOULD ALSO LIKEAPPROVAL OF THEPOSTAL BANKINGACT...THIS WOULDGENERATE POSTALFUNDS AND HELPPROVIDED LOW COSTLOANS TOAMERICANS...GILLIBRAND.

"FIRST OFALL IT RAISES 9-BILLIONDOLLARS A YEAR --SECOND IT DEALS WITHTHE FACT THAT 30-PERCENT OFAMERICANS ARE UN-BANKED OR UNDER-BANKED AND EVENMORE WILL BE THATWAY AFTER COVIVDBECAUSE SO MANYPEOPLE HAVE LOSTTHEIR JOBS."PRESIDENT TRUMPSAYS HE'S NOT TRYINGTO SABOTAGE THEPOSTAL SERVICE.TRUMP.

"NO, NO.

THEPOST OFFICE ISRUNNING VERY WELL.THE POST OFFICE.

NOWLOOK, IF YOU LOOK ATTHE POST OFFICE FORYEARS, THAT'S ALLPEOPLE COMPLAINEDABOUT.

WE'RE GOINGTO RUN IT WELL, ANDWE'RE GOING TO NOTLOSE SO MUCHMONEY."EILEEN BUCKLEY, 7