NBC Montana: Tester, Daines seek answers on mail delays in Bozeman

MISSOULA, Mont. – Senator Tester and Senator Daines are seeking answers of reported delays and interruptions of postal service in the Bozeman area.

The following was sent out by the Office of Senator Tester:

Following reports from Montanans about unreliable mail service in Bozeman, U.S. Senator Jon Tester yesterday sent a letter to United States Postal Service (USPS) leadership urging them to find immediate solutions to the challenges facing the Bozeman office and restore timely mail service as quickly as possible.

“I am hearing directly from members of the Bozeman community that are experiencing significant gaps and delays in mail service,” wrote Tester. “While it appears hiring additional staff is likely the best long-term solution to current mail service issues, I urge you to consider options that would provide more immediate relief to the community, such as bolstering the Bozeman office with staff detailed from other locations that are sufficiently staffed. I also ask that you take steps to inform local postal customers about the current status of mail service in Bozeman and USPS’s plan to address the shortcomings.”

Senator Tester has been Montana’s leading champion on ensuring reliable mail service across Montana. Last month, Senator Tester successfully led the charge to prevent the closure of the Coram post office, and earlier this year, the President signed his bipartisan Postal Service Reform Act into law, which will ensure long-term, reliable mail service in rural America and put the USPS on sound financial footing. He has repeatedly pushed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on USPS policy changes that have delayed mail, threatened to undermine the agency, and harmed rural America.

In 2020, Tester blew the whistle on USPS for removing dozens of mail collection boxes from towns across Montana, leading USPS to pause its removal of collection boxes nationwide until after the November election. Since the beginning of the pandemic, thousands of Montanans have contacted Tester to express concerns about mail delays and their effects on Montana’s frontier communities.

Here is the full letter from Sen. Tester:

Sen Tester Letter Regarding Mail Service in Bozeman, MT by NBC Montana on Scribd

The following was sent out by the Office of Senator Daines:

U.S. Senator Daines today sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy seeking answers on the reported severe delays and interruptions of postal service to Montanans in the Bozeman area.

“Hundreds of my constituents have not received any mail in over seven days and cannot reach any full-time USPS employee in the area. Rural and urban Montanans rely upon the USPS for the timely delivery of everything from essential prescriptions, jury summons, bills, and letters that enable rural small businesses to compete on the global stage and keep families connected,” Daines wrote. “I respectfully ask that you rectify the interruption as soon as possible and take steps to ensure that any future interruptions are avoided.”

Here is the full letter:

https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/tester-daines-seek-answers-on-mail-delays-in-bozeman