EXCLUSIVE: Hawley expands USPS probe with blistering letter accusing chief of dodging Congress
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., is expanding his investigation into the U.S. Postal Service, accusing Postmaster General David Steiner of ignoring congressional oversight while demanding records on the agency's use of outside restructuring consultants as USPS projects billions more in financial losses.
In a letter obtained by Fox News Digital, the Missouri Republican said USPS has failed to comply with his June 30 oversight request and informed Steiner that the investigation will now examine USPS' hiring of consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal.
"To date, my office has received no documents in compliance with my June 30 letter," Hawley wrote. "Is it your intention simply to ignore statutory oversight? I expect full compliance with my oversight requests immediately."
Hawley said Congress must review USPS' relationship with Alvarez & Marsal, a restructuring firm Steiner disclosed earlier this year had been hired to help the postal service plan for its financial future.
The senator questioned why USPS is paying outside consultants while projecting another multibillion-dollar loss and continuing to award executive bonuses.
"It is surprising to me that as you complain about this monetary crisis, you and other USPS executives continue to rake in annual bonus packages and have found plenty of cash to hire these outside consultants like A&M — all while service declines and far too many Americans are not receiving their mail," Hawley wrote.
Hawley is requesting records detailing who hired Alvarez & Marsal, how much the firm has been paid and whether it was asked to recommend closing rural post offices, limiting rural delivery or reviewing executive compensation. He also inquired about whether USPS plans to release the firm's recommendations to Congress or the public.
The expanded investigation comes weeks after Fox News Digital first reported Hawley launched an oversight probe into USPS over dumped mail in St. Louis, demanding records on delayed deliveries, possible criminal misconduct and executive bonuses.
That inquiry followed a contentious Senate hearing in June, where Hawley pressed Steiner over thousands of pieces of dumped mail discovered in St. Louis.
Hawley later criticized the postmaster general for saying he was unaware of the incident and publicly called for his resignation if he refused to return his performance bonus.
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Steiner later responded in a July 15 letter by inviting Hawley to tour the St. Louis Processing and Distribution Center and meet to discuss the senator's concerns.
In his latest letter, Hawley said the USPS has yet to comply with his original document requests.
Hawley noted USPS has lost an estimated $25 billion over the past three fiscal years and is projecting at least an $8.1 billion loss in fiscal year 2026 despite reforms Congress approved in 2022 to improve the agency's finances.
"If the Postal Service plans to address its losses through hiring A&M, then Congress must be apprised of the nature of the engagement and A&M's recommendations to ensure that USPS service standards — such as universal service and rural delivery — do not continue to decline in any agency restructuring plan," Hawley wrote.
The senator requested USPS respond to his expanded oversight questions by July 24.
USPS disputed Hawley's characterization that it ignored his oversight requests.
"Postmaster General David Steiner responded to Senator Hawley (in the attached letter) on July 15th, offering to discuss these issues personally in a meeting with the Senator," a USPS spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "We will also respond to the Senator's new letter."
In Steiner's July 15 letter, he said he had contacted House Government Operations Subcommittee Chairman Pete Sessions about touring the St. Louis Processing and Distribution Center with Hawley and other members of the Missouri delegation before discussing the senator's concerns. Steiner also offered to meet with Hawley separately if the tour did not work with his schedule.
Fox News Digital's Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.