In May, Senator Rosen Announced Plans to Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Stop Misguided USPS Proposal
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Congressman Mark Amodei (R-NV-02) introduced bipartisan legislation in both chambers of Congress to stop the U.S Postal Service (USPS) from implementing its plan to relocate outgoing mail processing from Reno to Sacramento. This bipartisan bill would prevent the closure, consolidation, or downsizing, of a Processing & Distribution Center (P&DC) if: USPS has already failed to meet its on-time delivery standards, as it has in Reno; the proposed changes would leave a state without a P&DC; or if the proposal would leave no P&DCs within 125 miles of the affected P&DC, which would be the case for the Reno P&DC.
It would only allow changes to proceed if USPS receives an advisory opinion from the Postal Regulatory Commission that finds that proposed changes would not negatively impact mail delivery service standards and performance measures, taking into account factors like geography, including mountain passes. The bill also would allow the public to appeal proposed USPS closures, consolidations, and downsizing and prevent such decisions from moving forward until the appeal is heard and adjudicated.
“Out-of-touch Washington bureaucrats who think they know what’s best for Nevadans have pushed forward with the relocation of mail processing operations from Reno to Sacramento,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m introducing bipartisan legislation with Congressman Amodei to prevent this misguided plan from being implemented, increase oversight over USPS, and finally allow Nevada voices to be heard. Nevadans have been clear we don’t want this change, and I’ll keep working to put a stop to it.”
“This legislation would prevent bureaucrats at the Postal Service from making sweeping, ill-advised decisions without due process,” said Congressman Amodei. “USPS’s decision to move some mail processing operations from the Reno Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) to West Sacramento, California, has been a debacle from the start. Not to mention, the complete and total lack of collaboration and communication with those who will be most impacted by this proposed change. I am proud to introduce this bill to prevent the Postal Service from making sweeping changes to mail processing without objective transparency and communication.”
Senator Rosen has been working across party lines to keep postal processing operations in Nevada. Last month, she held a press conference with Governor Joe Lombardo where they reaffirmed their strong, bipartisan opposition to the proposed downsizing and relocation. Senator Rosen recently called out Postmaster General Louis DeJoy during a Senate hearing for neglecting to listen to local Nevada leaders, businesses, and residents, and sounded the alarm on the negative impacts the plan will have on mail service reliability. She, Congressman Amodei, Governor Lombardo, and Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) also sent a bipartisan letter to the USPS Board of Governors expressing their serious concerns with the plan. Earlier this year, Senator Rosen and Congressman Amodei, along with Senator Cortez Masto, met with senior USPS officials to express their deep concerns about the effects the proposed Reno P&DC downsizing would have on mail service reliability and local jobs.
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