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Lawmakers in New York on Tuesday joined the public outcry calling Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's actions since taking over the helm of the U.S. Postal Service a "purposeful dismantling and delay" that should have all Americans concerned. (Aug. 18) AP Domestic

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul is not in favor of providing additional funding to the U.S. Postal Service, saying recently that the agency is not "redeemable."

The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives is set to vote on legislation that would give $25 billion over to the cash-strapped organization. Kentucky's junior senator told Fox News on Wednesday he is against the legislation.

"Anybody who wants to give money to the post office you might as well just put it into a big pile on your front lawn and burn it," Paul said.

The Kentucky Republican pointed to the Postal Service's labor costsas a reason the agency is struggling. Seventy-six percent of the agency's total costs for fiscal year 2018 came from labor costs, according to a December 2019 report from fromtheOffice of Inspector General.

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Many of those labor costsincurred by thePostal Service are linked to the federal Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act passed in 2006, which requires the agency to makepayments toward health benefits for future retireesdecades in advance. The Postal Service is designated to be self-sustaining, meaning it receives notax dollars to cover operations.

But it hasbeen struggling recently.Between 2007 and 2019, it lost roughly $78 billion due to decreased mail volume and increased cost, according to areport released in May by the Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan government watchdog agency.

"There's no way to give any money to the post office to make the post office redeemable," Paul said. "You cannot fix the post office unless you fix their labor problem."

Paul said the only way he'd give the post office "any money" is for the agency to have a hiring freeze "and they would gradually have to lower their employment significantly," adding that a decline in mail volumes should decrease the size of the agency.

"It's a real mistake to give the post office money unless they significantly reform their ways," Paul said.

Paul's comments come as the Postal Service has been in the national spotlightin recent weeks as new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a Republican megadonor and President Donald Trump supporter, instituted cost-saving measures that haveslowed down mail delivery and raised concernsover mail-in ballots. Trump has claimed many times, without evidence, that mail-in votingwill lead to widespread fraud.

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On Tuesday, DeJoy saidhe wouldpause operational changesfor the Postal Service until after the election. However, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday she spoke with DeJoy and that he would not be reversing the changes including reinstalling mail sorting machines that were removed.

The Postal Service in Louisville had 24 sorting machines before four were removed, according to Art Campos,the president of American Postal Workers Union Louisville Local #4, which represents roughly 700 Postal Service workers in the area.

Campos said he isn't angry over DeJoy's directives not being reversed, but rather relieved that they're being paused so workers can adjust to them without fear of more changes.

"It's always been our culture to get the mail and these packages out to the customer," Campos told The Courier Journal. "But when these directives came out, it created a hardship because all of the sudden, we weren't getting all the mail out."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, told The Courier Journal earlier this week thatHouse legislation focusing on thePostal Service could be achance to gain some groundin the stalled negotiationsover a coronavirus relief package.

However, he indicated the Senate is unlikely to pass a bill that addresses only the Postal Service.

DeJoy is set to testify in two high-profile congressional hearingsFriday and Monday regarding the Postal Service. Paul is a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which will hold Friday's hearing.

Campos, the local APWU president, said the main question he wants to see DeJoy answer is: How does he see the future of the post office?

Contact Ben Tobin at bjtobin@gannett.comand502-377-5675 or follow on Twitter @TobinBen.Support strong local journalism by subscribing today:subscribe.courier-journal.com.

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Rand Paul: It is a mistake to fund the Postal Service 'unless they significantly reform' - Courier Journal