Rosen, Cortez Masto Join Bipartisan Letter Opposing USPS Consolidations, Operational Changes

Nevada Senators Are Leading Opposition To The Proposal To Downsize And Relocate Mail Processing Operations From Reno To Sacramento

WASHINGTON DC – Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) joined a bipartisan group of colleagues in both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives in sending a letter to United States Postmaster General Louis DeJoy decrying the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) recent nationwide consolidation and review announcements that could severely diminish mail service reliability for postal networks across the country, including in northern Nevada.

“A common theme of these announcements is the so-called ‘modernization’ of Processing and Distribution Centers (P&DCs) into Local Processing Centers (LPCs),” the Members wrote. “Taken together, these proposals dismantle parts of the Postal Service’s robust network that helps distribute mail across the country and places outgoing sorting into more distant facilities.  The result of this change is that mail will need to travel farther from its origin to its sorting, creating inefficiencies in the system, especially for local mail.”

“These consolidation proposals never have had any discernible support from local communities.  On the contrary, we have heard strong opposition to these efforts from USPS customers, community leaders, local businesses, and postal employees,” the Members continued. “Rather than marching forward with these plans and offering short and vague statements dismissing concerns, the Postal Service should be communicating why the organization believes these changes are beneficial and what the specific impact of the changes will be to mail service.”

“The Postal Service provides an essential service upon which our constituents rely.  The robust nature of the Postal Service’s current network is its strength, not its weakness.  To ensure that our constituents continue to receive reliable service, we urge you to reconsider these consolidation announcements,” the Members concluded.

The full text of the letter can be found HERE.

Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto have strongly opposed the proposed relocation of mail processing from Reno to Sacramento because of the impact it would have on mail service reliability and local jobs. During a Senate hearing yesterday, Senator Rosen blasted Postmaster General DeJoy on the proposed downsizing of the Reno mail processing facility. Both senators last week met with USPS officials regarding the proposal to express their deep concerns about the effects the plan would have on northern Nevada, including diminished mail service for seniors, veterans, and rural communities.. They also recently sent a bipartisan letter with Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV) expressing serious concern about the proposed relocation of mail processing in Reno. 

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