Central South Dakota News

U.S. Senators Mike Rounds and Richard Durbin have reintroduced the Postal Processing Protection Act, aiming to safeguard rural mail processing facilities from closure or downsizing by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). This legislation mandates that USPS consider the effects on rural areas during their review process, a requirement already in place for post office retail locations.

Currently, USPS does not need to evaluate the impact on rural areas when closing processing facilities if it results in increased efficiencies. However, they must assess whether closing retail locations aligns with their duty to provide effective postal services to these communities. The proposed legislation seeks to extend this consideration to processing centers.

"Rural mail services are a lifeline for South Dakotans," stated Senator Rounds. "We must make certain that residents across our entire state are able to receive letters and packages in a timely manner."

Senator Durbin expressed concerns about inefficiencies caused by current practices: "If I drop a piece of mail off in Springfield to go across town, why should it have to go all the way to St. Louis and back?" He criticized Postmaster General DeJoy’s plan for downsizing Illinois' mail processing centers and emphasized the importance of studying impacts before making changes.

Rounds has actively advocated for protecting rural USPS services. In April 2024, he addressed a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy urging against significant reorganizations in South Dakota's mail operations, leading USPS to pause downsizing efforts in Huron and Sioux Falls.