Budzinski Leads Bipartisan Postal Caucus in Pressing USPS for Answers on $19.5 Billion Borrowing Request

Resources / Press Share on Budzinski Leads Bipartisan Postal Caucus in Pressing USPS for Answers on $19.5 Billion Borrowing Request Nov 05, 2026 Press SPRINGFIELD, IL – This week, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) led 13 members of the Congressional Postal Service Caucus in sending a bipartisan letter to Postmaster General David Steiner seeking clear answers on how the U.S. Postal Service would use a requested $19.5 billion increase in its statutory borrowing authority. In the letter, the lawmakers ask the Postmaster General whether the increase in borrowing authority would be used to improve on-time delivery for the communities they represent, or to implement more of the network changes that have slowed mail service since 2023. Earlier this year, the Postmaster General told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that increased borrowing authority is the “most immediate solution” to the Postal Service’s financial crisis. The Caucus says it is ready to work with USPS on common-sense solutions, but that Congress needs a full accounting before raising the borrowing limit from $15 billion to $34.5 billion. The members wrote, “We have all seen service decline in our districts as a result of the network changes stemming from the Mail Processing Facility Review (MPFR) and Regional Transportation Optimization (RTO) and have concerns that granting a significant increase in the Postal Service’s borrowing limit would go towards continued investment in network changes that are not working for our constituents.” They continued, “For those reasons, we are asking that the Postal Service provide both Member- and staff-level briefings during the November House of Representatives session period to discuss the Postal Service’s financial plans if Congress were to increase the Postal Service’s borrowing limit.” Share on