Deputy Senate Majority Leader Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle) issued the statement below following the announcement today by the Postmaster General that he will cease operational changes to the US Postal Service until after the November election:

“I am pleased and relieved that the Postmaster General has agreed to halt changes to mail service. It is important that this be followed by action to undo the damage already done to the Post Office. Every single Washingtonian relies on the essential services the Post Office provides from the delivery of critical medicine to paychecks, rent checks, and ballots.

“As one of five states that are exclusively vote-by-mail, Washingtonians rely heavily on the employees of the Post Office in holding a free and fair election. These changes will damage this fundamental American right and they must be undone.

“In this Washington, we believe our democratic institutions are stronger when we take down barriers to voting, instead of adding barriers.”