WASHINGTON — At a time when the United States Postal Service (USPS) is under strain due to a lack of carriers and supply shortages, communities across the country have reported struggles in conveying needs to the USPS and have experienced sudden and surprising post office closures. U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) introduced legislation to improve access to local USPS post offices. The Mandating Advisable and Informed Locations and Solutions (MAILS) Act would require more community input before relocating a post office as well as encourage recommendations from municipalities to request additional post offices.
“In Hawai‘i, where many people live in rural or remote areas, the Postal Service is a lifeline for everything from essential goods to staying connected with loved ones,” said Senator Schatz. “Our bill ensures that people in Hawai‘i and across the country have a voice in decisions about keeping post offices in their communities.”
Schatz has led efforts in Congress to fully fund and protect post offices in Hawai‘i. In 2020, he included a provision in a government spending bill to ensure post offices across Hawai‘i were funded and remained open for residents.
The full text of the bill is available here.
