WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Joe Manchin (D-WV) introduced the Protect Our Services Today (POST) Act to prevent the U.S. Postal Service from closing any post office facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill follows reports of possible post office closures across West Virginia, as well as a slew of other recent leadership and policy changes at the Postal Service that have reportedly affected delivery service in Michigan and across the country. Peters recently launched an investigation into reported delays at the U.S. Postal Service that are preventing Americans from receiving critical mail on-time, including prescription drugs, business mail, and mail-in ballots.
“The Postal Service is the only carrier that delivers to every address in the country, and it’s especially important for our rural communities who often don’t have any other options to stay connected or receive critical supplies,” said Senator Peters. “As the Postal Service continues to make unacceptable changes that limit its effectiveness, this commonsense bill will prevent the closure of rural post offices and help ensure that services won’t be compromised for rural residents.”
Peters has sent repeated inquiries on recent changes at the Postal Service that have reportedly led to mail left sitting in processing facilities and slower than normal delivery times. After initially failing to respond responses to Peters’ questions, the Postal Service recently acknowledged the new Postmaster General is making nationwide changes, but has refused to answer questions about the impact of these changes or whether additional changes are forthcoming.
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