Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) recently joined Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) in leading a bipartisan coalition of 18 Members of Congress in a letter urging Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to reconsider proposed changes to the United States Postal Service (USPS) service standards. The changes, announced in August, are expected to result in increased delays for residents, particularly those in rural and underserved communities.
In the letter, Budzinski and her colleagues expressed their "extreme concern" over the adjustments to mail delivery times, which they believe would disproportionately impact constituents living in rural areas, especially those more than 50 miles from a USPS processing center. "While we understand the need for modernization and financial changes across the Postal Service, these changes cannot come at the expense of rural residents who rely on the USPS," Budzinski stated.
The lawmakers highlighted the critical role the USPS plays in delivering essential items such as medicine, food, paychecks, and bills to families in rural communities. They warned that even a one-day delay in mail delivery could lead to late fees, financial stress, and health risks for residents waiting for important medications.
The letter emphasizes that USPS has already struggled to meet existing delivery standards, with a reported on-time performance of just 69.9% for three-to-five-day First Class mail delivery in the second quarter of fiscal year 2024—significantly below the target of 90.3%. The proposed changes could exacerbate these existing delays, further eroding public confidence in USPS's reliability.
In closing, the bipartisan group urged DeJoy to reconsider the proposed changes and requested a detailed list of counties, towns, and ZIP codes that would experience longer wait times for mail.