The United States Postal Service (USPS) found its replacement for the Postmaster General position. Now, it has to find a replacement for its second-in-command.
According to Federal News Network, Deputy Postmaster General Ronald Stroman will leave his post after nine years at the USPS. Stroman, who has more than 40 years of experience in the federal government, notified the chairman of the USPS Board of Governors of his decision last Friday.
Stroman’s announcement came days after the board announced Louis DeJoy as its pick for postmaster general.
The week before, former USPS Inspector General and Vice President of the board, David Williams, announced his resignation.Storman’s resignation means the USPS board will no longer have enough members to reach a quorum. However, in the event that happens, the board can delegate authority to a temporary emergency committee. That will allow the four remaining Senate-confirmed governors and the postmaster general to engage in all of the board’s normal decision-making.
“At least until there’s a successor named, or until there are more governors confirmed by the Senate, the Postal Service’s Board of Governors should be able to operate as normal,” Mike Plunkett, the president and CEO of the Association for Postal Commerce, told Federal News Network.
The board will choose a new deputy general based on a majority vote from the four remaining Senate-confirmed governors and DeJoy.
“It is likely that Louis DeJoy wants his own number-two in there. In fact, he may already have someone in mind,” Steidler told Federal News Network. “The Board is likely to go with who DeJoy wants as they will be working together closely, day-to-day.”
During his time as the deputy postmaster general, Stroman led government affairs and international mail issues for the USPS and worked with state and local officials to oversee the expansion of vote by mail. Before joining the USPS, Stroman served as the staff director for the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
“Ron [Stroman] has led our communications and relationship-building with the Congress and among agencies at the federal, state, and local level, as well as efforts to educate postal stakeholders as we developed a framework for postal reform legislation,” Postmaster General Megan Brennan wrote in a memo to industry on Wednesday.
The USPS is currently dealing with significant budget issues. In March, Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Gerry Connolly (D-VA) said the agency will run out of money by June.
Last week, 83 House Members sent a letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy demanding “the strongest possible relief for the United States Postal Service in the next round of COVID-19 relief legislation.”