- March 7, 2024
Senator Marshall Leads Letter Questioning USPS Postmaster On Continued Mail Delays
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. led a letter to United States Postal Service (USPS) Postmaster General Louis DeJoy demanding answers and a briefing from USPS Kansas-Missouri district leadership on the continued delays and lapses in mail delivery in the greater Kansas City region. Senator Marshall was joined in his letter by Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), Josh Hawley (R-MO), and Eric Schmitt (R-MO).
“We write today to express both concern and frustration over persistent and continued delays in mail service to the residents of the greater Kansas City Metro area. According to the U.S. Postal Service’s own metrics, delivery performance of all classes of mail in the Kansas-Missouri region lags far behind national performance data, indicating substantial and unique issues with the facilities that serve this region,” the Senators wrote.
The Kansas-Missouri region has some of the worst performance data of any region in the USPS system, and the delays in processing, sorting, and delivery of mail have substantially impacted residents and business owners in the area. According to the USPS’s online service performance dashboard, less than 68 percent of First-Class Mail is delivered on time, with an average delivery time of over 3 days.
“As representatives for the residents and business owners of Kansas and Missouri, it is our duty to ensure federal programs, including the U.S. Postal Service, serve the interests of all Americans. Currently, the USPS is not meeting its own standards and current data suggests performance only continues to decline. Our goal is to get answers, demand accountability, and fight for our residents and business owners who have been impacted by these failures,” the Senators wrote.
You may click HERE to read the full letter to USPS.
Background:
The letter follows up on several attempts by multiple letters and requests for investigations by the Senators to understand the causes for continued interruptions and delays in mail delivery in the Kansas City region.
In 2023, Senator Hawley requested an investigation by the USPS Inspector General’s office. The findings revealed severe mismanagement and employees who had not been trained on processes and equipment.
In February, Senator Marshall sent a separate letter asking for explanations for frequent mail delivery delays to residents in Johnson County.