WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Andrew Clyde (GA-09) led the Georgia Congressional Delegation in sending a letter to United States Postal Service (USPS) Postmaster General Louis DeJoy demanding that he immediately fulfill his legal obligation to seek an advisory opinion from the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) for the agency’s recent consolidation process in the Peach State.
Earlier this year, the USPS transitioned and consolidated local Processing & Distribution Centers (PDC) across North Georgia to the Postal Service’s new Regional Processing & Distribution Center (RPDC) in Palmetto, Georgia.
In the letter, lawmakers urge DeJoy to seek an advisory opinion from the PRC, noting this action is required by law.
“We urge you to promptly seek an advisory opinion from the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) regarding the Delivering for America (DFA) plan initiatives detailed in PRC Order No. 7061 (Docket No. PI2023-4). According to 39 U.S.C. 3661(b), the United States Postal Service (USPS) must request an advisory opinion from the PRC for any changes impacting postal services on a nationwide or substantially nationwide basis. The DFA initiatives described in Part III of PRC Order No. 7061 fall under this requirement. Therefore, we demand you immediately submit the necessary proposals to the PRC for an advisory opinion in compliance with USPS’ legal obligation.
“In 2021, the Postal Service announced its 10-year operational plan, ‘Delivering for America,’ aimed at achieving financial sustainability, service excellence, and increased investment. The DFA strategic plan includes a pledge to ‘adhere to legal, statutory, and regulatory requirements,’ including filing requests for advisory opinions with the PRC as required by law. According to PRC Order No. 7061, as of the order’s publication date, USPS has only filed three requests for advisory opinions related to changes outlined in the initial DFA plan.”
The lawmakers highlight that the USPS consolidated operations in major metropolitan areas around the country without requesting an advisory opinion from the PRC.
“In its April 2023 DFA Second-Year Progress Report, the Postal Service detailed plans for a complete overhaul of its processing and delivery operations network. This overhaul includes new Regional Processing & Distribution Centers (RPDCs) that consolidate major metropolitan area local processing centers into one large, regional facility. USPS stated that this change would ‘form the backbone of the future network.’ According to the PRC, USPS has started consolidation efforts into new RPDCs in 9 major metropolitan areas across the country – already impacting more than 30 million Americans nationwide. Yet, despite these significant operational changes affecting service in major cities across the country, the Postal Service proceeded without requesting the required advisory opinion from the PRC – clearly violating the intent of the law.”
The bipartisan group of lawmakers underscore the importance of the Postal Service’s failure to request an advisory opinion by spotlighting the PRC’s concerns.
“PRC Order No. 7061 questions the Postal Service’s failure to seek an advisory opinion, stating, ‘It is hard to see how these initiatives will not involve a change in the nature of services.’ The PRC notes that USPS plans to reduce its facilities from 430 to 220 as a part of their network consolidation efforts, moving some facilities as far as 4 hours away. PRC further states that the network consolidation plan could ‘delay processing’ and ‘lead to mail delays.’ The Commission concludes that ‘it has become increasingly apparent that the operational changes to be implemented by the Postal Service nationwide may result in significant service changes over a broad area of the country.’”
Undeniably, the USPS’ consolidation process has been nothing short of disastrous.
“In Atlanta, GA, after several local PDCs across the North Georgia region were consolidated into one RPDC in Palmetto, GA, news reports detailed how dozens of mail trucks were forced to wait outside the new Palmetto facility – which obstructed traffic, leading the Palmetto Police Department to get involved. Furthermore, the PRC outlines how, in the Atlanta region, the average First-Class Mail letter delivered to an Atlanta address took 13.29 days to arrive, and the average delivery time for a single-piece first-class mail across the whole state increased by nearly 60%.”
Additionally, the lawmakers detail how the botched transition has impacted their constituents.
“Our constituents, business owners, and hardworking Americans across the country rely on the United States Postal Service’s effective and efficient mail delivery operations to pay their bills, receive life-saving medication, and even run their business. The USPS’ nationwide network overhaul has extensively disrupted mail delivery operations for postal customers nationwide – causing our constituents immense trouble and grief in their everyday lives.”
In closing, the lawmakers blast the Postal Service’s failure to follow the legally required advisory opinion process and demand that DeJoy swiftly do so.
“The current mail delivery situation across the country, caused by USPS’ failed network modernization plan, is completely unacceptable and was entirely preventable. The advisory opinion process was established by Congress to prevent such extensive nationwide service failures from ever occurring. The advisory opinion process was set up to provide the American people the necessary oversight and accountability for such a vital institution that they deserve. The Postal Service’s continued ignorance of the legally required advisory opinion process is inexcusable.
“Therefore, as Members of Congress who represent the millions of Americans affected by your disastrous postal operations changes, we demand that you follow the law and immediately seek an advisory opinion from the Postal Regulatory Commission for the previously described DFA plan initiatives – as is your legal obligation under 39 U.S.C. 3661(b).”
Full text of the letter is available HERE.