PRESS RELEASE FROM CONGRESSWOMAN AXNE’S OFFICE:
On Friday, Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) introduced new legislation to bring transparency to how temporary post office closures, also known as “emergency suspensions,” are reported by the U.S. Postal Service.
The legislation comes after the post office in Corning, Iowa was placed under emergency suspension in late August, forcing residents looking for in-person postal services to make a 30 mile round trip to Villisca, Iowa. Residents also expressed confusion over the emergency suspension process.
“I’ve heard directly from folks in Corning about just how integral the post office is to the community and how hard the temporary closure hurt,” said Rep. Axne. “Iowans depend on the Postal Service to keep in touch with their loved ones, receive important medications, and run their small businesses. That’s why it’s so important that any facility closures are quickly addressed, and this legislation is a commonsense way to make sure the Postal Service is keeping everyone informed in the event of unforeseen disruptions.”
The Postal Suspension Transparency Act would require the U.S. Postal Service to develop a new, public-facing dashboard of all post office facilities under emergency suspension, that would include the following information:
- Street address
- The date of and reason for suspension
- The date normal operations are estimated to resume
- The location and hours of the nearest facility with postal services
- Alternative services available, including how to request curbside delivery
