02.05.24

Hoeven, Cramer, Armstrong to USPS IG: Expand Postal Audit To Address Postal Issues Across North Dakota

With Ongoing Audits in Bismarck, Mandan and Minot Post Offices, Delegation Requests IG Audit State-Wide Postal Issues & Proposed Mail Processing Changes for Bismarck and Grand Forks

WASHINGTON – In light of the ongoing postal challenges across North Dakota, Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer and Congressman Kelly Armstrong this week called for the U.S. Postal Service Inspector General to expand an ongoing postal audit of the Minnesota-North Dakota district to include communities statewide, as well as to audit proposed changes to mail processing for the Bismarck and Grand Forks regions.

“We write following your office’s recent announcement that it is expanding the ongoing audit and evaluation of United States Postal Service (USPS) delivery operations across the Minnesota-North Dakota district to include the Bismarck, Mandan, and Minot Post Offices in North Dakota.  We appreciate your decision to include these facilities in the scope of the audit as a result of the concerns we raised on behalf of our constituents.  Due to the wide range of issues facing the postal service across our state, we request that you further expand the ongoing district-wide audit to include additional postal facilities in North Dakota, as well as a full examination of the potential mail delivery impacts resulting from implementation of the USPS’ Mail Processing Facility Review (MPFR) proposals for Grand Forks and Bismarck,” wrote the delegation to U.S. Postal Service Inspector General Hull.

The delegation made the case for a state-wide audit, citing concerns from constituents including mail and newspaper delays, broken and unavailable cluster box units (CBUs), as well as ongoing concerns and questions regarding USPS’ proposal to relocate some mail processing in the Bismarck and Grand Forks region.

“USPS delivery standards must not only be maintained but improved, particularly in rural areas.  From receiving the local newspaper, refilling prescriptions, and paying bills, our constituents rely on the essential services provided by the USPS.  We appreciate the hard work of USPS employees, and while we understand that the postal service has had difficulty filling open mail carrier positions, solutions to address and overcome these challenges must be found,” the delegation continued.

The full text of the letter can be found here.

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