WASHINGTON, D.C.\u00a0<\/b>\u2014 8\/13\/24 – Today, Congressman Andrew Clyde (R-GA) led the Georgia Congressional Delegation in sending a letter to United States Postal Service (USPS) Postmaster General Louis DeJoy demanding that he immediately fulfill his legal obligation to seek an advisory opinion from the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) for the agency\u2019s recent consolidation process in the Peach State.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, the USPS transitioned and consolidated local Processing & Distribution Centers (PDC) across North Georgia to the Postal Service\u2019s new Regional Processing & Distribution Center (RPDC) in Palmetto, Georgia.<\/p>\n
In the letter, lawmakers urge DeJoy to seek an advisory opinion from the PRC, noting this action is required by law.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe urge you to promptly seek an advisory opinion from the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) regarding the Delivering for America (DFA) plan initiatives detailed in PRC Order No. 7061 (Docket No. PI2023-4). According to 39 U.S.C. 3661(b), the United States Postal Service (USPS)\u00a0must request an advisory opinion from the PRC for any changes impacting postal services on a nationwide or substantially nationwide basis<\/b>. The DFA initiatives described in Part III of PRC Order No. 7061 fall under this requirement. Therefore, we demand you immediately submit the necessary proposals to the PRC for an advisory opinion in compliance with USPS’ legal obligation.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cIn 2021, the Postal Service announced its 10-year operational plan, \u2018Delivering for America,\u2019 aimed at achieving financial sustainability, service excellence, and increased investment. The DFA strategic plan includes a pledge to \u2018adhere to legal, statutory, and regulatory requirements,\u2019 including filing requests for advisory opinions with the PRC as required by law. According to PRC Order No. 7061, as of the order’s publication date, USPS has only filed three requests for advisory opinions related to changes outlined in the initial DFA plan.<\/i>\u201d<\/p>\n
The lawmakers highlight that the USPS consolidated operations in major metropolitan areas around the country without requesting an advisory opinion from the PRC.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn its April 2023 DFA Second-Year Progress Report, the Postal Service detailed plans for a complete overhaul of its processing and delivery operations network. This overhaul includes new Regional Processing & Distribution Centers (RPDCs) that consolidate major metropolitan area local processing centers into one large, regional facility. USPS stated that this change would \u2018form the backbone of the future network.\u2019 According to the PRC, USPS has started consolidation efforts into new RPDCs in\u00a09 major metropolitan areas across the country \u2013 already impacting more than 30 million Americans nationwide<\/b>. Yet, despite these significant operational changes affecting service in major cities across the country, the Postal Service\u00a0proceeded without requesting the required advisory opinion from the PRC \u2013 clearly violating the intent of the law<\/b><\/i>.\u201d<\/p>\n
The bipartisan group of lawmakers underscore the importance of the Postal Service\u2019s failure to request an advisory opinion by spotlighting the PRC\u2019s concerns.<\/p>\n
\u201cPRC Order No. 7061 questions the Postal Service\u2019s failure to seek an advisory opinion, stating, \u2018It is hard to see how these initiatives will not involve a change in the nature of services.\u2019 The PRC notes that USPS plans to reduce its facilities from 430 to 220 as a part of their network consolidation efforts, moving some facilities as far as 4 hours away. PRC further states that the network consolidation plan could \u2018delay processing<\/b>\u2019 and \u2018lead to mail delays<\/b>.\u2019 The Commission concludes that \u2018it has become increasingly apparent that the operational changes to be implemented by the Postal Service nationwide may result in significant service changes over a broad area of the country<\/b><\/i>.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Undeniably, the USPS\u2019 consolidation process has been nothing short of disastrous.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Atlanta, GA, after several local PDCs across the North Georgia region were consolidated into one RPDC in Palmetto, GA, news reports detailed how dozens of mail trucks were forced to wait outside the new Palmetto facility \u2013 which obstructed traffic, leading the Palmetto Police Department to get involved. Furthermore, the PRC outlines how, in the Atlanta region,\u00a0the average First-Class Mail letter delivered to an Atlanta address took 13.29 days to arrive, and the average delivery time for a single-piece first-class mail across the whole state increased by nearly 60%<\/b><\/i>.\u201d<\/p>\n
Additionally, the lawmakers detail how the botched transition has impacted their constituents.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur constituents, business owners, and hardworking Americans across the country rely on the United States Postal Service\u2019s effective and efficient mail delivery operations to\u00a0pay their bills, receive life-saving medication, and even run their business<\/b>. The USPS\u2019 nationwide network overhaul has extensively disrupted mail delivery operations for postal customers nationwide \u2013 causing our constituents immense trouble and grief in their everyday lives<\/i>.\u201d<\/p>\n
In closing, the lawmakers blast the Postal Service\u2019s failure to follow the legally required advisory opinion process and demand that DeJoy swiftly do so.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe current mail delivery situation across the country, caused by USPS\u2019 failed network modernization plan, is completely unacceptable and was entirely preventable. The advisory opinion process was established by Congress to prevent such extensive nationwide service failures from ever occurring. The advisory opinion process was set up to provide the American people the necessary oversight and accountability for such a vital institution that they deserve.\u00a0The Postal Service\u2019s continued ignorance of the legally required advisory opinion process is inexcusable<\/b>.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cTherefore, as Members of Congress who represent the millions of Americans affected by your disastrous postal operations changes,\u00a0we demand that you follow the law and immediately seek an advisory opinion from the Postal Regulatory Commission<\/b>\u00a0for the previously described DFA plan initiatives \u2013 as is your legal obligation under 39 U.S.C. 3661(b)<\/i>.\u201d<\/p>\n
Full text of the letter is available\u00a0HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Congressman-Andrew-Clyde.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"