Senate Dems grill USPS over mail delays

Senate Democrats say they are concerned about significant mail delays in rural America.

In a letter to Postal Regulatory Commission acting chairman Robert Taub, Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) suggest the U.S. Postal Service might no longer be relevant in the 21st century.

The senators urge Taub to look into the state of mail delivery in rural America compared to urban neighborhoods.

They point out that delivery times have increased as more and more mail processing facilities are shut down around the country — a problem, they say, that has a “devastating impact” on rural communities in particular.

“The Postal Service plays a key role in the lives of many families throughout Montana, North Dakota, and rural America,” the senators write.

“For generations, these rural communities have relied on the timeliness and predictability of their mail service — not only to receive post cards and letters, but also to get their newspapers, pay their bills, and receive their prescription medications,” they said. 

“Degradation of this service severely impacts these citizens’ way of life, and there is already evidence that deliver is being delayed,” they added.