By Nick Stoico
President Biden has nominated former Boston mayor Martin J. Walsh to serve on the United States Postal Service’s board of governors, the White House said Thursday.
Walsh, a Dorchester native, served in Biden’s cabinet as labor secretary until he left last year to become executive director of the National Hockey League Players’ Association. He was elected mayor of Boston in 2013 and served for seven years.
In a statement, the White House touted Walsh’s background as a labor leader, state legislator, and mayor of Boston, as well as his two years as labor secretary.
“Walsh brought high-quality job training programs to millions of Americans, strengthened mental health support and access to treatment, and ushered in a historic surge in worker organizing,” the White House said.
Earlier this month, House Democrats urged Biden to submit nominations for open seats on the board amid a surge in complaints about slow mail delivery and increased costs. Walsh’s nomination, one of several the White House announced on Thursday, must be approved by the US Senate.
The board sets policy for the postal service and is made up of up to nine governors, plus the postmaster general and a deputy postmaster general. There are currently seven governors.