Kuster, Pappas Tour USPS Facility in Nashua

Click here to watch Reps. Kuster and Pappas's video following their tour of the Nashua USPS facility

Today, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) toured the U.S. Postal Service's Logistics and Distribution Center in Nashua to learn about its operation and underscore the importance of protecting the USPS from ongoing Administration efforts to slow service and undermine confidence in this public service. The tour came after widespread reports that Postmaster General DeJoy and the Trump Administration spent months systematically attacking the Postal Service and undermining services that veterans, seniors, and voters rely on every day. At the Manchester Post Office on Goffs Falls Rd alone, at least four machines were taken offline and remain offline. Yesterday, a federal judge stepped in to block USPS changes made by Postmaster General that slowed mail, calling them "a politically motivated attack."

Recently, Reps. Kuster and Pappas voted to pass the Delivering for America Act. This legislation prohibits the Postal Service from implementing any changes to operations or level of service it had in place on January 1, 2020 and provides $25 billion in critical funding to support the Postal Service. The House also passed the HEROES Act in May, which includes $25 billion for the USPS, and ends the Treasury Department's blockade of the $10 billion loan previously authorized for USPS in the CARES Act.

"Granite Staters depend on the U.S. Postal Service for life-saving medications, Social Security checks, voting, and so much more," said Congresswoman Kuster. "I valued the opportunity to tour the USPS Logistics and Distribution Center in Nashua to hear about the operations at the facility and the challenges and concerns they face. While misguided operational changes made by the Postmaster General have resulted in mail delays here in New Hampshire and across the country, I am grateful to the hard-working USPS employees for their tireless work to continue providing essential services to the American people. I have helped to pass legislation to provide much-needed support to USPS, and I will continue working to defend the Postal Service and provide critical funding to this important institution."

"I was pleased to be able to visit the USPS facility in Nashua today and want to thank the USPS staff for facilitating an informative and thorough tour," said Congressman Pappas. "Throughout this pandemic, we've seen just how critical the Postal Service is for our small businesses, for delivering life-saving medication, for staying connected, and for casting a ballot. I continue to have great confidence in the men and women of the Postal Service here in New Hampshire and across the country. They do their job and they do it well. But we have to give them the support they need and make sure that there are absolutely no politically-motivated attempts to slow down the mail or undermine the service our families, veterans, small businesses, and voters rely on every day."

Background:

New Hampshire is home to two large USPS processing facilities located in Manchester and Nashua. The Nashua facility exclusively processes packages and directs them to local post offices to be delivered to the consumers' door. Nashua processes packages for New Hampshire and several surrounding states.

Following media reports, Congressman Pappas called on the USPS Office of the Inspector General to investigate the USPS selling a mail sorting machine at the facility on Goffs Falls Road in Manchester for scrap parts.

In August, Reps. Kuster and Pappas joined the New Hampshire delegation to demand answers from Postmaster General Louis DeJoyabout changes made to the Postal Service.

Citing the detrimental consequences of any reduction in mail service to the U.S. health care system, Rep. Pappas led 31 Members of Congress in calling on Health and Human Services Secretary Azar to publicly defend USPS, urging him to "convey to the President and the public the significant negative impact that a reduction in USPS service would have on our health care system."

Also in August, Reps. Pappas and Kuster sent a letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue and Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Bette Brand expressing their grave concerns about the impact of the U.S. Postal Service's dire financial condition and potential reductions in service on rural communities across the country.

In June, Reps. Kuster, Pappas, Horn (OK-05), and Cisneros (CA-39) sent a letter to the Small Business Administrator, Jovita Carranza to express their concern about the impact that the U.S. Postal Service's grave financial state may have affected small businesses across America.

Reps. Kuster and Pappas also wrote to VA Secretary Wilkie this summer to share their concern that any reduction in services or move to privatize the Postal Service will negatively impact both the VA and the millions of veterans.

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