Tester Talks Service Standards, Priorities with Rural Letter Carriers

Senator: Rural America relies on Postal Service

(U.S. Senate) – U.S. Senator Jon Tester met today with representatives from the Montana Rural Letter Carriers Association to discuss his support for the United States Postal Service (USPS) and issues that could affect the agency.

“Whether it’s paying bills, mailing packages, or simply keeping in touch, rural America depends on steady, dependable mail service to survive,” Tester said. “I’ll continue fighting so that everyone from small business owners to farmers and ranchers can continue to access affordable, reliable mail delivery service.”

Tester met with Lauren Duren of Kalispell and Aaron Stieg of Bozeman in his Washington D.C. office, where they talked about holding the Postmaster General accountable and ensuring letter carriers can access their retirement benefits. During the meeting, Tester reaffirmed his work to preserve six-day mail delivery. President Trump’s proposed 2020 budget allows USPS to eliminate Saturday delivery to save money, which would lead to worse service for customers, especially those in rural America.

The group also discussed Tester’s efforts to maintain service standards at the USPS, including his fight against a proposed plan that would close 82 mail processing plants across 37 states.

Tester has worked tirelessly to preserve mail service in rural Montana. Last fall he demanded the USPS restore regular business hours in Lewistown after it cut mail collection time by nearly two hours, and he has crusaded against misguided plans to cut costs by closing mail processing facilities, which slows down delivery times in rural areas.

More about Tester’s work on postal reform is available HERE.