Show-Me State Times

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley has raised concerns with United States Postal Service (USPS) CEO and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy regarding a new delivery strategy called the Regional Transportation Optimization plan. This plan is expected to significantly impact rural post offices, including 754 of Missouri's 926 facilities.

Senator Hawley emphasized his commitment to protecting mail delivery in rural America. "I’m going to work with everybody I can across this dais to protect delivery to rural America, and if I have to go down with the ship, I’ll go down with the ship," he said. He further expressed his intent to oppose the Regional Transportation Optimization plan.

The senator highlighted opposition from groups like the Missouri Farm Bureau and rural electric cooperatives against the USPS plan. Additionally, he criticized postal delays in Kansas City and pointed out USPS's failure to reopen the Baring, Mo., post office, stating that his patience—and that of Missourians—has been exhausted.

"If I’m successful, rural America will get its mail delivered on time, which it’s currently not," Senator Hawley explained. He also addressed issues with the Baring post office: "We’ve got the Baring, Mo., post office, which has been completely decimated for two solid years, that has now been rebuilt by a private party that your agency still has not cleared and opened."

In response to these challenges, Senator Hawley introduced the Rural Post Office Reconstruction Act. This legislation aims to establish a clear timeframe for reopening rural post offices closed due to natural disasters or other unforeseen events. The introduction follows an EF-2 tornado that destroyed the Baring post office and caused damage in surrounding areas.