Pappas Joins Bipartisan, Bicameral Push Opposing USPS’s Consolidations, Operational Changes Across the Country

Today, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) joined a bipartisan group of 22 Members of Congress in sending a letter to United States Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, decrying the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) recent nationwide consolidation and review announcements that could severely diminish mail service reliability for postal networks across the country.

“A common theme of these announcements is the so-called ‘modernization’ of Processing and Distribution Centers (P&DCs) into Local Processing Centers (LPCs),” the Members wrote. “Taken together, these proposals dismantle parts of the Postal Service’s robust network that helps distribute mail across the country and places outgoing sorting into more distant facilities. The result of this change is that mail will need to travel farther from its origin to its sorting, creating inefficiencies in the system, especially for local mail.”

“These consolidation proposals never have had any discernible support from local communities. On the contrary, we have heard strong opposition to these efforts from USPS customers, community leaders, local businesses, and postal employees,” the Members continued. “Rather than marching forward with these plans and offering short and vague statements dismissing concerns, the Postal Service should be communicating why the organization believes these changes are beneficial and what the specific impact of the changes will be to mail service.” 

“The Postal Service provides an essential service upon which our constituents rely. The robust nature of the Postal Service’s current network is its strength, not its weakness. To ensure that our constituents continue to receive reliable service, we urge you to reconsider these consolidation announcements,” the Members concluded. 

The letter can be read in full here.

In February, Pappas and the New Hampshire delegation sent a letter to Postmaster General DeJoy expressing concerns about plans for the Manchester Processing and Distribution Center, noting that they could be damaging to mail service in New Hampshire and urging the USPS to reconsider. The delegation also raised these concerns at a press conference outside the facility. The USPS received an outpouring of negative feedback from Granite Staters and postal workers, amplified by the Congressional delegation and other stakeholders, on its plans.