U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., is sounding the alarm over a United States Postal Service engulfed in political controversy and whether it will be able to handle a historic number of mail-in ballots leading up to the Nov. 3 general election from voters avoiding exposure to the coronavirus.

The Trump Administration recently reduced postal services by removing mailboxes, high-speed letter sorting machines, and cutting employee hours which have resulted in widespread reports of delayed mail. 

Durbin and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., met by teleconference Thursday morning with post office representatives, including USPS 2020 Election Mail Director Justin Glass.

"The object of this call was to discuss the obvious; whether or not the postal service is ready for the Nov. 3, 2020 election," Durbin said. 

Glass reportedly told Durbin the USPS has enough capacity to handle mail-in ballots, which represent 2% to 5% of the total volume of mail. 

"Glass said, 'we don't have any concerns about capacity,'" Durbin said. "What about the equipment that's been removed or dismantled? (Glass) said 'if we need additional equipment, we will have that equipment.'"

Under Illinois law, voters can request a ballot up to five days prior to an election. Durbin said Glass recommended Illinois voters should request ballots no later than 15 days before the election. 

"That would be October 19," Durbin said. "That is not a requirement in Illinois law. What about returning the ballot? In Illinois, it must be postmarked no later than election day. Glass said voters should return ballots no later than seven days before the election. That's October 27. (Glass') recommendations are different than Illinois law, which is a concern.

"My recommendation to voters in Illinois; if you want to be extremely safe in how you do this, request a ballot no later than Oct. 19 and return the ballot no later than Oct. 27," Durbin said. "That is what the postal service is telling us, regardless of what the law says."

Under Illinois law, Durbin noted election officials must allow up to 14 days to receive ballots postmarked by election day.

Durbin said the USPS sent letters to 46 states last week, including Illinois, expressing concern with mail-in ballot deadlines and how they might conflict with postal service operations. 

"That raised concerns not just in Illinois, but across the nation," he said. "We couple those concerns with the obvious; we have a new postmaster general who is a political animal and very generous contributor to the Trump campaign."

Durbin said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy was appointed to the job with "limited, if any, experience with the postal service."

"(DeJoy) came in and decided he was going to treat it like a company and put in cost-saving measures. What he failed to realize is it's not the postal company, it's the postal service. And the services provided by the post office around the United States are very important. Over 90% of people in this country approve of the postal service."

Durbin said changes in postal operations also are negatively impacting millions of people who order pharmaceutical prescriptions by mail, including veterans, the elderly and those who lack easy access to pharmacies.

DeJoy announced Tuesday he would suspend changes to the postal service, but did not indicate if that meant reversing changes already in effect. 

Durbin accused President Trump of undermining the mail-in ballot process by calling it "untrustworthy and or fraught with fraud."

"Although (Trump) mails in his own ballot to Florida," Durbin said. "He is concerned in those states where he said we don't have Republican governors. If you look at the use of mail-in ballots across the United States, certainly we have blue states like Oregon, purple states like Colorado, red states like Utah using mail-in ballots without any major incidents of fraud taking place. But the new postal service is turning things upside down and the president is saying he's not disappointed by that because he wants fewer people to vote by mail."

Durbin discussed a bill lawmakers are currently working on that would provide $25 billion in emergency funding for the postal service. 

"I believe they are whistling past the graveyard; they need the $25 billion," Durbin said. "I think it should be provided to the postal service because many of the problems are Congressional creations."