Scott, Graham, Norman, Timmons Commend DeJoy for Commitment to USPS Contract in Spartanburg

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), along with U.S. Representatives Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) and William Timmons (R-S.C.), sent a letter to U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy thanking him for acting in the interest of American taxpayers and standing by the commitment to manufacture the next generation United States Postal Service (USPS) fleet in Spartanburg, S.C.

“We write today to commend you for not giving into the political drama that has recently unfolded over Oshkosh Defense’s contract with the United States Postal Service (USPS) and the company’s decision to manufacture in Spartanburg, SC. Our constituents are directly affected by this contract, so we feel it is important to express our support for manufacturing in Spartanburg and urge you to continue to rise above the politics while providing the American people with the most efficient and viable solution as you look to modernize the USPS fleet,” wrote the congressmen.

“South Carolina has proven itself time and time again to be a manufacturing powerhouse. Our state’s workers are experienced, hard-working, and more than qualified to take on this challenge,” they continued. “Over the last decade, South Carolina has added over 75,000 jobs in the manufacturing sector, and today, 14 percent of the state’s workforce is employed in manufacturing. There’s a reason companies like Boeing, Volvo, and BMW have all chosen to manufacture their products in our state. South Carolina’s business friendly environment and dedicated workforce have made it a top destination for the world’s largest companies, and we are excited to welcome Oshkosh Defense to the state’s growing list of industry leaders.”

Click here or read the full letter below.

March 10, 2022

The Honorable Louis DeJoy
Postmaster General of the United States
475 L’Enfant Plaza SW
Washington, DC 20260

Dear Postmaster DeJoy:

We write today to commend you for not giving into the political drama that has recently unfolded over Oshkosh Defense’s contract with the United States Postal Service (USPS) and the company’s decision to manufacture in Spartanburg, SC. Our constituents are directly affected by this contract, so we feel it is important to express our support for manufacturing in Spartanburg and urge you to continue to rise above the politics while providing the American people with the most efficient and viable solution as you look to modernize the USPS fleet.

As you know, on February 23rd of 2021, USPS awarded Oshkosh Defense a ten year contract to produce the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) for USPS. On June 22nd of 2021, Oshkosh Defense announced that it had selected Spartanburg as the location for completing this contract. Since these announcements—and particularly over the last month—we have seen the White House, the Environmental Protection Agency, and even some of our own congressional colleagues attempt to interfere with the contract. We oppose these attempts to undermine the authority of the USPS as an independent agency acting as good stewards of Americans’ tax dollars, and we thank you for not allowing these attempts to get in the way of USPS’s mission.

South Carolina has proven itself time and time again to be a manufacturing powerhouse. Our state’s workers are experienced, hard-working, and more than qualified to take on this challenge. Over the last decade, South Carolina has added over 75,000 jobs in the manufacturing sector, and today, 14 percent of the state’s workforce is employed in manufacturing. There’s a reason companies like Boeing, Volvo, and BMW have all chosen to manufacture their products in our state. South Carolina’s business friendly environment and dedicated workforce have made it a top destination for the world’s largest companies, and we are excited to welcome Oshkosh Defense to the state’s growing list of industry leaders.

You stated on February 7th of this year that USPS is “compelled to act prudently in the interests of the American public.” We vehemently agree, and we will always support USPS spending taxpayer dollars wisely. Oshkosh Defense and USPS chose Spartanburg because it is the best city in the country to complete this contract. A change now would be detrimental to the American people. We appreciate you acting responsibly in the interest of all Americans, and we urge you to continue to not let political disagreements distract from that important work.

/s/

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