Tester Blasts USPS for Suspending Express Mail

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester is blasting Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and urgently requesting United States Postal Service air service in Montana be immediately restored following a USPS announcement that they will be suspending air service to support priority and express mail in Montana starting July 22.

In his letter, Tester began by emphasizing Montanans’ concerns about degrading mail service: “At a time when Montanans are already reporting unacceptably inconsistent delivery from the USPS, cutting air transportation will further degrade mail service in our rural state. Once again, it appears that the USPS is turning its back on rural America and attempting to solve its budget woes on the backs of our nation’s rural citizens.”

Tester continued to highlight the importance of reliable mail service in Montana: “As a large and rural state with hundreds of miles between urban areas, air mail delivery by air service is critical for allowing fast delivery of essential documents, prescriptions, and goods. This is especially true during the winter where extreme weather can often makes long stretches of road unsafe or even impassable.”

Tester concluded his letter by calling on DeJoy to continue air service in Montana: “With all of this in mind, I urge the USPS to immediately take steps to continue air service in Montana and reengage in any necessary contract negotiations.”

Tester has been a champion holding the USPS accountable. Earlier this year, Tester successfully pushed Postmaster DeJoy to halt the USPS’s Mail Processing Facility Review that could result in the relocation of Missoula’s P& DC outgoing mail processing operations to Spokane, Wash.

Tester fought for months to force USPS to halt their consolidation plans in Montana and across the country.