Service has “deteriorated to critical levels” for South Dakotans
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) has formally requested an investigation into the persistent issues with United States Postal Service (USPS) delivery in South Dakota. In a letter to Tammy Hull, Inspector General of USPS, Rounds asked for Hull to determine the root cause of mail issues impacting South Dakota, as well as consider the need for a regional processing facility in South Dakota.
In September, Rounds sent a letter to Postmaster General David Steiner urging him to restore reliable mail service and requesting a meeting. Rounds and Steiner met in October. Steiner followed up on the meeting with a letter dismissing the issues raised by Rounds, claiming that the mail delays were caused by issues at processing facilities in Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City despite none of these facilities handling South Dakota’s intrastate mail.
“In recent months, I have heard from hundreds of constituents across South Dakota voicing substantial issues with USPS service in my state,” wrote Rounds. “I believe these issues are caused by the flawed design of the USPS network, which all but guarantees that mail traveling across or to South Dakota must travel in a circuitous manner through locations around and outside of the state.”
“The people of South Dakota depend on the Postal Service for critical communication, medicine and care,” continued Rounds. “I request that you act swiftly to identify and resolve the causes of these failures and help return South Dakota’s mail service to the standards Americans deserve.”
BACKGROUND:
Rounds has been a leader on USPS issues in South Dakota, leading the push to keep local processing facilities in South Dakota. In April 2024, Rounds sent a letter to USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy urging USPS to avoid downsizing or significantly reorganizing mail processing operations in South Dakota. As a result, in February 2025, USPS committed to keeping the Dakota Central processing facility in Huron open, as well as investing $3 million in improvements to the facility. Rounds also secured a commitment from former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to keep mail that originates within South Dakota from leaving the state for processing.
In addition, Rounds first introduced the Postal Processing Protection Act in June 2024, legislation that would require USPS to consider consequences for rural areas during their closure or downsizing review process in order to protect rural mail processing facilities. Rounds recently reintroduced this legislation in the 119th Congress.
Earlier this year, Rounds introduced the Deliver for Democracy Act, which would protect rural newspapers and consumers from unjustified price hikes by making certain the Postal Service is held to a standard for on-time deliveries. Rounds is also the Senate lead on the Instituting Notification Formalities on Reorganizing Mail (INFORM) Act of 2025, legislation to require the USPS to post a physical notice within impacted storefronts explaining any proposed changes in service.
Read the full text of the letter HERE
