WY Congressional Delegation React To USPS News Regarding Consolidation Of In-State Distribution Centers

Congresswoman Harriet Hageman and Senator Cynthia Lummis have introduced bipartisan and bicameral legislation – the Postal Operations Stay Timely and Local (POSTAL) Act, which prevents the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) from closing, consolidating, or downgrading its processing and distribution centers (P&DC) nationwide if such an action would remove the sole P&DC within a state or negatively impact mail delivery.

The Senate bill is co-sponsored by Senator John Barrasso and the House bill is co-led by Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01).

“All Americans rely upon USPS to receive correspondence, bills, packages, and medication in a timely manner,” said Representative Hageman. “If fulfilled, the USPS modernization plan threatens the promise of timely, secure mail delivery by transporting the bulk of Wyoming’s mail out of state, while also forcing many USPS P&DC employees to either relocate or lose their jobs. The closure of P&DCs bring serious election integrity concerns by forcing the transport of mailed-in ballots out of state, introducing the potential for delivery of ballots after an election concludes.”

“The POSTAL Act alleviates these concerns by ensuring that any P&DC realignment or modernization actions done by the USPS cannot result in a negative impact on mail delivery or close the final P&DC within a state’s borders. I’m proud to be joined by Congressman Chris Pappas of New Hampshire and Senator Lummis to introduce this bipartisan, bicameral bill.”

“While this administration creates unnecessary disruptions in mail delivery across the state of Wyoming by closing sorting facilities in a laughable display of ‘fiscal responsibility,’ they are senselessly spending billions of Wyoming tax dollars on their left-wing priorities,” said Senator Lummis. “In-state mail should not have to leave the state of Wyoming for processing, yet under this administration’s string of closures, that’s the harsh reality for Wyoming and a handful of states across the U.S. Every single state should have at least one sorting facility to ensure Americans receive their mail in a timely manner, and I am partnering with Senator Barrasso and Rep. Hageman to ensure that standard is met.”

“The United States Postal Service (USPS) is a lifeline in rural states like ours,” said Senator Barrasso. “The USPS’ outrageous proposal would close processing and distribution centers in Wyoming and lead to unnecessary delays. The people of Wyoming deserve to have access to a reliable and timely postal service. This bipartisan legislation will save jobs and ensure we continue to have access to these critical postal facilities in Wyoming.”

Background:

As part of its “Delivering for America” modernization plan, the USPS has begun to consolidate or downgrade many of its existing processing and distribution centers, shifting the bulk of mail processing and delivery functions to other locations.

As a part of this shirt, USPS has announced plans to downgrade both P&DC facilities in Wyoming, shifting P&DC operations to Billings, Montana and Cheyenne’s operations to Denver, Colorado, leaving Wyoming without an in-state P&DC.

The P&DC in Rock Springs was downgraded in 2015, and operations were shifted to Salt Lake City, Utah.

Mail from that facility is distributed to any Wyoming city and town west of the Continental Divide, except for Wamsutter, Baggs, Dixon, and Savery (All get mail from Denver).

Wyoming Cities, Towns and Counties that would be affected by the downgrade of the Casper P&DC Facility: (Mail would come from Billings, MT)

Any place where the first 3 digits of the zip code starts with 824, 825, 826, 827 and 828.

Counties affected are Sheridan, Johnson, Campbell, Crook, Weston, Natrona, Converse, Hot Springs, Washakie, Big Horn, Park and Fremont (except for Jeffrey City which would have mail come from Denver).

This includes Sheridan, Ranchester, Dayton, Parkman, Big Horn, Arvada, Clearmont, Leiter, Story, Buffalo, Kaycee, Linch, Gillette, Wright, Moorcroft, Sundance, Hulett, Devils Tower, Aladdin, Beulah, Upton, Osage, Newcastle, Midwest, Edgerton, Casper, Bar Nunn, Evansville, Powder River, Glenrock, Douglas, Shoshoni, Riverton, St. Stephens, Hudson, Lander, Atlantic City, Kinnear, Fort Washakie, Dubois, Thermopolis, Worland, Ten Sleep, Hyattville, Meeteetse, Manderson, Basin, Greybull, Shell, Emblem, Burlington, Lovell, Cowley, Deaver, Frannie, Byron, Powell, Ralston, Cody, and Wapiti.

Mail distributed to Yellowstone National Park already comes from Billings.