Long Island's veterans are now being pulled into the fray over the U.S. Postal Service.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says thousands of veterans across the Island depend on the service for medication delivery and shouldn't have to fight to keep it that way.

Vietnam veteran Patrick Yngstrom, of North Merrick, says he has diabetes but his medicine hasn't come in the mail for nearly a week. He says his wife's disability check hasn't come in the mail, either.

Schumer says these late deliveries are a result of cutbacks at the USPS. He says Postmaster General Louis DeJoy recently made cost-cutting changes that included removing mail-sorting machines and shortening hours of operation at some post offices.

State lawmakers push for bill in support of USPS funding, mail-in voting 

Schumer says the downgrade in service is a direct threat to veterans and seniors who rely on the service to get their medication delivered.

"I don't know why this guy is doing it, it's not working. To do it normally would be bad," says Schumer. "To do it during COVID when people can't go to the stores, the drug store and everywhere else where they need necessities is nothing short of outrageous."

Following numerous complaints and state lawsuits, DeJoy announced he will suspend further cost-cutting initiatives for the service until after the election. The change of course comes as many Democrats say people should be able to mail in their votes because of pandemic concerns.

Following DeJoy's announcement, Schumer tweeted, "We need a permanent rescission of all of DeJoy's harmful policies."